Clarity
by Whovian531
Summary: After leaving for college and away from heartbreak, Brandon comes back for winter break to visit…but he isn't alone. She is everything that Callie is not, yet he finds himself fighting back past feelings. How will he and Callie handle an entire month living under the same roof again, given their new complications and past?
1. The Unexpected

**A/N: Hello, readers! This is my first fanfic for "The Fosters" :) I'm a ****major**** Brandon/Callie shipper (but these two are just so perfect for each other, so who wouldn't be). I decided to explore their future and throw some angst into the mix of their already complicated relationship. The song "Clarity" by Zedd inspired this story, as you can tell by the title. If you haven't heard the song you should check it out, since I think it's absolutely perfect for this fanfic and to set the mood. So happy reading and enjoy!**

* * *

He's coming back.

As much as she maintained a straight face and brushed off the subject with the wave of a hand, it was all an act. Bubbling underneath the rigid surface of indifference was a tidal wave of emotions: fear, unease, agony…love.

That last emotion was definitely the strongest of all, punching her in the gut every time she remembered those deep, beautiful blue eyes of his and his gentle touch against her skin.

But Callie Jacobs – now Callie Jacobs _Foster_, to be precise – was not going to back down. No, in all the troubling years of her past, this wasn't anything in comparison to what she had been through…or at least that was what she tried convincing herself.

As forbidden and secretive as it was, she never experienced anything like what she and Brandon Foster shared, the genuine love and care that they felt far surpassed platonic feelings of foster siblings, thus carefully hidden under wraps for the sake of Callie and Jude's stay. Of course, there was Liam…but what Brandon said on the porch that fateful night was true, that he wasn't anything like him. He was perfect, at least to her. And what they had shared was everything she ever wanted…but of course she had to mess things up.

"Callie?"

She looked up, alarmed. Even though she never spoke her thoughts aloud, the sudden interruption made her feel exposed and insecure. Lena stood by the doorway, waiting.

"Are you ready yet? Brandon will be here soon."

Staring at the mirror, she shrugged. "In a bit," she murmured.

Lena nodded, leaving Callie to her thoughts. She reached over for Mariana's brush, agitatedly brushing over the imaginary tangles in her hair. _Why does he have to come back now? _She sighed as she placed the brush back on the dresser. _Of course he would, right when I'm actually starting to heal. _

After swiping away the smudged liner underneath her eyes and smoothing out her hair, Callie slowly stood up and made her way downstairs, the somersaults in her stomach increasing in intensity as she descended the stairs.

As if on cue (and to her complete horror), the doorbell rang. Squeals reverberated across the house, although exactly from whom she couldn't differentiate. Might as well have been Jesus for all she cared.

"Brandon's baaack," Jesus sang, sprinting from the kitchen. Yeah, it was definitely him.

Mariana shortly followed, laughing as she stood by Callie. "Someone is clearly excited," she sneered. Jude joined them, leaning against his older sister.

"Are you okay?" he whispered to her. She shrugged nonchalantly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Stef swung open the door, arms extended for an immediate embrace.

"Hey," a familiar voice called out, "I'm home!"

Callie braced herself, arms crossed and expressionless shield ready.

And in stepped Brandon Foster, opening a once closed door and walking back into Callie's life…but he wasn't alone.

With an arm snaked around her waist, Brandon towed in a petite girl with him. She was clearly nervous; her hazel eyes were wide as she was tugging on a strand of her long dark hair.

"I want you guys to meet Abigail," he smiled, gesturing to the girl beside him. Abigail gave them a timid smile.

Before she could stop herself, Callie's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

Out of all things to be expected from him, she was definitely not expecting _that_. Forget about the indifference. Now all she wanted to do was run.

"What?" she blurted out.

_Oh, shit._ She mentally slapped herself.

Everyone turned to stare at her – except Brandon, whose eyes were averted to the floor.

"She's my girlfriend," he replied quietly.

Callie glared at him. _Well, now, isn't that obvious?_

"Brandon!" Lena appeared from the kitchen, oblivious to the awkwardness in the room. She instantly gave him a swift hug. "It's so great to finally see you! And you must be Abigail," she turned to the girl, smiling warmly. Abigail nodded, blushing.

"She's beautiful, Brandon," Lena added with a wink. "Everyone come in, I just set everything up at the table."

Jesus and Mariana approached the pair, giving them hugs and chatting away as they joined their mothers.

"Callie," Jude murmured. He looked up at her, concern shining in his eyes. "Will you be okay?"

_No. Far from it._

"Yeah, I will. Don't worry about it," she answered casually. She gave his hand a tight squeeze. He raised an eyebrow at her, clearly in disbelief despite her denial.

In all honesty, Callie had no idea how she was going to handle this. The butterflies in her stomach were now trampled, and she felt like an angry, shattered mess. But then again, he had the right to move on, didn't he? Especially after what happened…

She mentally berated herself.

_Hell. This is going to be a long dinner…_

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**Here goes to tension between our favorite pair. I know that this chapter is pretty short, but I just wanted to see the feedback first before continuing. So please leave a review :) and while you're at it, go ahead and press that wonderful little button to follow/favorite this story. I promise you guys that the next chapters will be a lot longer. I'm pretty excited to take this further, so the more feedback the better and I can write the next chapter for you guys more quickly. **


	2. The Dinner

**A/N: Hello, my readers! Wow! All I can say is thank you all so much for the reviews and faves/follows. I'm really grateful for the feedback on the first chapter, and I hope you guys enjoy this :) This chapter is more of an introduction to Abigail and her relationship with Brandon. I wrote this at the speed of light in one sitting for you all since you're so amazing, so happy reading!**

**Disclaimer: I sadly do not own the Fosters.**

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"Brandon, what happens if they don't like me?"

"Stop worrying," Brandon murmured. "They will love you."

He lifted Abigail's entwined hand to his lips and gave it a soft kiss. He searched her hazel eyes, knowing that she wasn't convinced.

"Seriously, Abby," he gently traced a finger along her cheek. "You have nothing to worry about. Everyone sounded really excited to meet you when I told them over the phone about us."

"Really?" she questioned, eyebrow raised.

He nodded. Well, it was mostly true…by everyone, he meant everyone but _her_. He honestly had no idea how she felt about it…they haven't exactly talked ever since he left home. She refused to reply to his text messages or answer his calls in the first few weeks following his departure, leading to him giving up and trying to move past it.

He couldn't help but feel slight guilt introducing his girlfriend to his family, knowing the awkwardness that would ensue with…he couldn't even think about her without feeling the knots twist in his stomach. With a mix of minor motion sickness, the entire plane ride was a jumble of his nerves, which he quickly pushed to the back of his mind with attempts at sleep and snuggling closer to Abby.

Standing now on the front lawn he hadn't stepped on in months, he stayed firm. No, this was _his_ house, too. He had every right to step back into his home and introduce his significant other to the most important aspect of his life, which was his family…even if it meant hurting her.

"Really," Brandon reassured, giving Abigail an embrace and a kiss. Oh, he really hoped so…

He rang the doorbell, laughing as he heard what sounded like squeals and scurrying footsteps around the house.

"See?" he grinned. He tightened his arm around her waist. She nodded, slight worry still tugging on her fragile features. Internally, he felt his own unease fog his conscience, but he couldn't think about that now. He _had_ to do this…to prove to the one who broke his heart in this very house that he moved on.

The door suddenly swung open, startling them both as they were pulled into a tight embrace.

"Hey, Mom," Brandon laughed. He patted her back. "It's great to see you, too."

Stef pulled back, teary-eyed.

"Hi, Mrs. Foster," Abigail smiled. "I'm Abby."

Stef nodded, grinning. "It's great to finally meet you! Brandon told us so much about you." She took a step back, gesturing for them to come in.

"Hey, I'm home!" Brandon announced.

And there she was. Arms crossed and pokerfaced, Callie stood there, surrounded by his other siblings. He couldn't help but catch his breath at how beautiful she looked, despite looking obviously unhappy. Her hair had grown longer, framing her face and trailing past her shoulders, surpassing the signature hair length he had grown accustomed to. She seemed older than what he remembered, even though it had only been several months. He quickly looked away, the hurt beginning to resurface.

As if to force the pain away, his arm around Abigail unconsciously tightened, and he led her to step next to him.

"I want you guys to meet Abigail," he stated, forcing a smile.

"_What_?"

Silence filled the room, as he felt Abby stiffen against his arm.

Brandon's heart stopped and he felt his face redden. The first time he heard her voice in months…and _that _is what she says to him? He couldn't bear to look at her as he felt the anger build inside of him.

"She's my girlfriend," he said, defensive.

He could feel Callie's penetrative glare pierce at him, as he attempted nonchalance.

"Brandon!"

He turned towards the voice, seeing Lena. He breathed a sigh of relief as he was rescued from the heavy awkwardness filling the room. He was swooped into a firm hug by his mother.

"It's so great to finally see you! And you must be Abigail," Lena beamed. Abby nodded.

"She's beautiful, Brandon," Lena winked. "Everyone come in, I just set everything up at the table."

Mariana and Jesus approached them, both giving the pair hugs and introducing themselves to Abigail.

"You have such a pretty name," Mariana remarked.

"Thanks," she blushed. "You can call me Abby."

"It's so great to see you, man," Jesus grinned, clapping his brother on the back. "It's been way too long."

"Yeah, it has," Brandon chuckled.

The four proceeded to the kitchen, leaving behind Jude and Callie. Brandon momentarily looked over his shoulder, seeing Callie squeeze her brother's hand as she stiffly stood still. Although her back was towards him, he knew that she was hiding behind that familiar mask of apathy.

_This is going to be interesting…_

**…**

"Can you pass the bread, Jude?"

"Callie, pass me the gravy?"

"No, Jesus, I'm asking for the chicken, not the carrots!"

The usual banter filled the dining room, as everyone sought to fill his or her plates. The table was set rather nicely, filled with more dishes of food than what Brandon remembered as a normal dinner. He realized it was definitely a celebration dinner to welcome him home, as well as a nice set up for first impressions to meet his girlfriend.

He missed this, being surrounded by so many familiar voices as they ate together as a family around the dining table. It definitely contrasted with the setting of jumping to various diners and restaurants around New York, either on a date with Abby or with their small group of friends from the theater.

He took a bite of his chicken. Not to mention how great it was to finally taste a home cooked meal after such a long time.

Brandon smiled, looking around at the faces of his family. This was really nice. Warm. Familiar. It was home. His home.

He dropped a hand underneath the table, sliding it over to give Abigail a squeeze on her thigh. She smiled at him, attempting to be subtle as she reached down to touch his hand in response.

Across the table, Callie stared at the two, noticing the small smiles they gave each other, as she knew that both their hands were undoubtedly entwined beneath everyone else's awareness. A wave of hurt swept at her, as she cast her gaze downwards to her plate. She remembered being in that exact place, sharing those secretive glances with Brandon as they reveled in each other's touch. But she pushed away the thought like how she was pushing aside the peas on her plate, refusing to indulge further than just a wary glance.

"So, Abby, tell us more about yourself," Lena suggested. "Brandon mentioned that you're a ballet dancer."

Abigail nodded, taking a sip of her water. "I'm studying in the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU," she responded. "Ballet is my life. I've been dancing since I was 5, and I hope to be on Broadway one day."

"Wow," Stef murmured. "That's amazing. That works well with how Brandon wants to compose music for film and Broadway shows. I think he mentioned that was how you two first met through theater, yes?"

The couple smiled at each other, nodding.

There was a twinkle in Brandon's eye…and it miffed Callie as she noticed it. He used to look at her like that, whenever she would walk into the room or when they were finally alone together. She stabbed at a carrot and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing crossly as she stared distastefully into space.

"Yeah," he grinned. "I remember first seeing her dance on stage during a rehearsal, and I knew that I had to find a way to talk to her. She looked so beautiful, so focused as she moved to the music. Initially, I had come in to see if there was an opening to help compose the musical's score, and now I wanted that spot more than ever." He laughed at the memory. "Lucky for me, though, there was. And with Abby as the lead ballerina, she would spend a lot of hours at the studio practicing, and I would sneak in to pretend practicing the score the other composers and I were creating, actually going in just to watch her. I think I freaked her out a bit."

Abby gave him a playful swat on the arm.

"You didn't," she giggled. "I always thought he was cute, and I knew that he watched me dance. Eventually I went to the studio just to see him, even if it meant me doing my own thing as he watched in silence, pretending to play. I was just waiting for him to talk to me."

"I did!" he protested. An animated expression filled his blue eyes as he laughed. "I summoned up the courage and finally approached her during one of our late nights at the studio, asking if she knew of any good coffee shops around the area and if she wanted to go since she seemed tired. She teased me, saying that she thought I would find a better excuse to talk to her after all this time, and I agreed."

"It became a routine for us," Abby continued. "Practicing together at the studio, then getting coffee afterwards every night, talking about the musical and ourselves. And once the musical score was set, we also spent our breaks between classes to further practice."

"And added practicing for the musical progressed to more. Everything else is history," Brandon finished.

Mariana clapped her hands together, squealing. "It's as if your story is from the movies," she exclaimed.

"Good thing we told Brandon to save the details to tell it in person," Stef winked. "He said it was a great story."

The pair had their faces flushed red, smiling.

Everyone else around the table reflected similar smiles, clearly pleased for the eldest Foster sibling…except Callie, of course, whose half-hearted smile was a pitiable attempt at feigning happiness.

All she could do was muster a quiet _'wow'_ under her breath before proceeding to occupy herself with the half-eaten chicken on her plate. As childish as it sounded, hearing their story was enough to make her gag. Her discontent, however, didn't go unnoticed by someone.

"Tell us more about your adventures in the city!" Mariana exclaimed, leaning forward with obvious excitement.

"At first, Brandon wasn't that fond of exploring New York," Abigail laughed. "He always seemed so distant, focusing on studying and practicing pieces. But," she touched his arm. "I brought him out of his shell. Took some time to drag him away from his room. Then next thing you know, I'm taking him everywhere, showing him what our city has to offer."

"_Brandon _actually going out in New York?" Jesus smirked. "That's hard for me to imagine. He must really love you, Abby."

And those last words from Jesus were the last straw.

Callie cleared her throat, standing up with her plate in hand. "I'm not feeling so well," she frowned, giving an apologetic look to the moms. "I think I'm going to go get some sleep early. I have work tomorrow, anyway."

Lena, who was slightly surprised, nodded. "It's fine, sweetheart. Feel better."

"It was nice to meet you," Callie muttered, motioning towards Abigail. She avoided eye contact with those blue eyes that were certainly staring at her, quickly disposing of her plate in the sink as she bounded up the stairs.

She swung open her bedroom door, flinging herself in bed.

Abigail this, Abigail that…it was enough to make her sick. Callie grabbed at a pillow and buried her face in it, groaning. Who knew it was going to be this hard? And it was barely the first night of many for this damn month of a winter break.

She hugged the pillow tightly to her chest, blankly staring at the walls.

It hurts…but a lot more than she actually imagined. The way they stared at each other, talked about each other, touched each other…it killed her inside. She remembered all too well being in Abby's place…well, except her relationship with Brandon was in secret and the family's knowledge of it had to remain deterred so that she and Jude wouldn't be kicked out of the house.

Callie traced a finger along the bed linen, aimlessly drawing out circles.

And meeting through love of music and theater in the big city seemed to beat out a love story of being foster siblings, she bitterly noted. The Brandon she knew was reserved and a homebody, not necessarily the type to go out for nightlife…but then again, maybe that girl was the push he needed to become adventurous and daring for once. A dancer, a city girl who could relate to his passion for Broadway. He didn't need his damaged, adopted sister to hold him back, restrain him from living the life he wanted and reaching his dreams…or at least that was she kept telling herself.

A quiet knock on the door interrupted her passive trance as she quickly sat up, startled.

"Hey."

Callie looked at the doorway, shock written across her features upon facing her visitor.

Abigail stood there, hands toying with her hair.

"Can we talk?"

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**Gasp! Sorry you guys, I know it was evil of me but I had to ;) didn't expect that, huh?** **Please leave a review and tell me what you think! And follow/favorite this story if you haven't already. I'm hoping to get another chapter in before this Monday's episode! Things will be getting really exciting and intense as the story continues, promise.**

-J


	3. The Talk

**A/N: Hello, lovelies! Once again, wow! I'm so grateful for the reviews and wonderful feedback! You guys have seriously been keeping me going :) and I'm happy to announce that I have finally finished mapping out the whole story, all thanks to you wonderful readers!**

**Random side note: Last night's episode was so intense and emotionally pulling (for all the characters), and I absolutely loved it. And oh my goodness, that preview for next week when BRALLIE KISS! I literally screamed (and I'm sure all of you guys did, too)! I am so looking forward to next week's finale!**

**So here goes the next chapter, and enjoy :)**

* * *

"Can we talk?"

Callie stared at her, dumbfounded. _What the hell?_

"Uh, sure…I guess?"

Abigail slowly walked in, taking a seat in Callie's desk chair before turning to her.

If it was uncomfortable earlier with her slight outburst of shock, things were sure damn awkward now. The tension was so thick that the Foster girl sworn it could be sliced through.

"So," Abigail cleared her throat. "I feel like we didn't exactly have a great introduction. How about we start over?" She extended a hand out to her, smiling.

Callie raised an eyebrow, confused. _Did Brandon put her up to this? _It would be something that he would do.

She reluctantly shook the girl's hand.

"I'm Abigail. You can call me Abby."

"Callie."

And then it was silent again as the two retracted their hands.

Abby sighed heavily. Her nimble fingers relocated from her hair to fumbling with a loose string at the hem of her dress.

"Look, I know that you don't like me and that this must be really awkward for you," she said.

Callie didn't respond, unsure of where her visitor was taking this conversation. It would be rude on her part to outwardly agree with the comment…even when it was true.

"I know," she gave her a sad smile.

The Foster girl's eyes widened. _Wait…she knows?_

Abby rested her hands on her lap, tilting her head to the side in deep thought.

"I know how it's like to feel...protective over your brother. Jealous, even," she continued. "I have an older brother, and I felt the same way when he brought home his fiancée for dinner. I felt like I hated her, since I was so close to him and I saw that she was taking him away from me…and she noticed. She talked to me about it, and now everything is okay."

"But what I'm trying to say," she took a deep breath. "Is that you have nothing to worry about. I love Brandon, and I wouldn't do anything to hurt him or to destroy your relationship. He told me that you guys were really close before he moved, so I understand how it's like to feel like you're being replaced. You're just looking out for your brother, that's all."

Callie blankly stared at her, speechless.

_No. That's not it at all._

So many things ran through her mind, mixed feelings of utter bewilderment and irritation stirring within her.

_So…she doesn't know. That just makes things so much more awkward._

She opened her mouth to say something, but clamped it shut.

_And yeah, I sure do feel replaced…but definitely not in the way you're thinking._

She eyed the petite girl sitting in her desk chair. It really was the first time she took a good look at Abby without averting her eyes away…and she couldn't deny that she was beautiful. Her hazel eyes were bright, holding a certain energy to them that surely reflected her personality. She was fragile, having the thin yet sturdy build of a dancer. Despite Callie knowing that she was the same age as her, there was something child-like about her…a trait that made it generally difficult to dislike her.

And as much as she did dislike her, Callie couldn't help but feel conflicted with her emotions.

Abby genuinely seemed to care…well, considering the fact that she had no idea what the _true_ nature of the relationship the Foster girl shared with Brandon was like in the past. So she wasn't as sure if she would be just as empathetic. Nonetheless, she seemed like a nice person. It wasn't her fault that she didn't know about the past...it was Brandon's for lying to her. And she wasn't anything like Talya, much to her relief…yet she couldn't help but find her just as threatening.

"Callie?"

She looked up, dark eyes meeting with the concerned hazel ones across from her.

"Are…we okay now?"

It was Callie's turn to fumble a bit, tugging at a strand on the bed linen.

"Yeah, I guess we are," she shrugged. What else was she supposed to say?

She was startled with a sudden embrace, the wind knocking out of her lungs at the tightness of it. The dancer's fragile demeanor was certainly deceiving.

"Thank you," Abby smiled, pulling back. "I'll leave you alone now." She gave her a small wave before stepping out into the hallway.

Callie sat there, just as stupefied as before her visitor came in.

** …**

Restlessly tossing about in bed, Callie stared at the ceiling. Fighting for sleep seemed futile, she realized. The tiring events of the night took a toll on her subconscious, rewinding over and over in her head every time she even neared slumber. Maybe a glass of milk was what she needed.

She got up, quietly stepping over piles of tossed clothes scattered across the floor. Mariana snored soundly across the room, apparently stealing the sleep she had been trying to attain for the past several hours.

Carefully avoiding the floorboards she knew that creaked, she treaded down the stairs and entered the kitchen.

With bare feet padding lightly across the floor, she made a beeline for the fridge.

"I see you never broke this habit."

"Shit!" Callie hissed, jumping in terror as she clutched at her chest. Her hair stood on end, heart racing rapidly.

A slight chuckle was heard. As her pounding heart lowered to a normal pace, her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness.

"Seriously, Brandon?" she glared. She proceeded to open the fridge, retrieving the gallon of milk.

"It's nice to see you, too," he replied sarcastically. His lean figure was enveloped by darkness; only slivers of moonlight streaming from the windows revealed he was wearing a fitted shirt and sweatpants.

Callie stepped away, reaching into a cabinet for a glass.

Despite the coolness in her demeanor, she was freaking out inside, the hyperawareness of his presence being so near giving her goose bumps.

And as angry as she wanted to be with him over the whole situation with Abby, she came to the conclusion that it was his choice to withhold information. It was his relationship, and it was none of her business if he decided not to talk about their past…even though it secretly hurt her inside that she wasn't worth talking about.

"What brings you here in the middle of the night?" she asked, her voice even.

"Couldn't sleep."

"Aren't you supposed to wake up early for that thing with Abby? I thought I heard something like that before you left to drop her off at her aunt's house."

"Running along the beach," Brandon corrected her. "And I've gotten used to staying up late most nights even when I have to wake up early."

"Okaay, then," Callie shrugged. She leaned against the counter, taking a sip of milk. She didn't even want to think about what he stayed up late most nights doing, for she highly doubted it was simply just practicing for that musical with Abigail.

"Did you tell her to talk to me?" she questioned.

She vaguely recognized him shaking his head in the shadows. "No, she did that on her own," he replied curtly. "Abby has always been perceptive. She feels the need to fix things with people if she senses something is wrong."

"Oh."

Nothing else was spoken between the two, the quietness of the house paired with the shroud of darkness and slivers of moonlight surrounding them.

The silence of the house was comforting, with the knowledge of everyone else sleeping peacefully in their beds. It was quiet moments like this that Callie learned to truly appreciate her home, the peace of knowing that she was here to stay and not just leave the next morning. Even though it had been nearly two years since she and Jude were adopted, she still couldn't get used to the feeling of belonging after so much rejection in her past life.

"This is familiar," Brandon mused.

"Huh?"

"You know…these late nights in the kitchen."

Callie felt her heart jump in her chest. Oh, she definitely remembered those nights…especially against this counter. The rush of trying not to get caught, the muffled moans exchanged between lips, his lithe fingers tracing patterns onto her bare skin as she held onto him…her face began to flush, as she cleared her throat.

"Yeah," she whispered. "I do." _Too well._

"How come you never answered my calls or my texts?" he questioned. His voice was firm, attempting to mask the hurt in his voice.

"I…I just thought it was what's best for us," Callie replied. It wasn't entirely a lie.

"Really?" Brandon challenged. Anger flared within him as he stepped out of the darkness, the moonlight now surrounding him. She caught her breath as he stood in front of her, his gorgeous blue eyes shining underneath the light.

"Is that what it was?" he questioned darkly.

His jaw was set, the agony so evident in his eyes it made her breathless. Even though he seemed like the same old self to rest of the family, Callie knew him well enough to see beyond the surface that he had changed, that he was different. There was a coldness shadowing his eyes that wasn't there before; no matter how angry he had become, like when Talya had long ago read Callie's journal or even when his father had another drunken escapade, he was never like this. It scared her.

"Yeah," she breathed.

The hardness in his expression deepened, his brow furrowed. The openness of feelings and optimism he once shared now seemed buried deep within, the caring demeanor replaced with wariness and cynicism that aged him.

She longed to reach out and touch his face, soothe the pain away as she hugged him close to her. But she knew better than that, especially with herself as the root of his pain. The sweet, loving Brandon she remembered was still beneath this rigid exterior…he had to be.

"You seriously thought that by ignoring me that this would get better?" he scoffed. "Incredible. You're the one who ended things between us. I had every right to be the one to forget about this as soon as I left, but I still tried to keep in contact with you even though I was heartbroken. You trampled all over me, Callie."

His words cut into her like a knife, stabbing her mercilessly as she breathed heavily in rising anger.

"Did I have a choice?!" she hissed. "After what happened, we both needed our space! I did what I had to do!"

"But that doesn't mean sever all ties like the other person doesn't exist," Brandon snarled.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, distressed. This was clearly not going anywhere, and if she allowed it to continue she was confident that they would soon start waking up the entire house with shouts at this rate.

"Why are we even talking about this?" Callie sighed, trying to remain calm. "You have clearly moved on, so why bother bringing this back up?"

"Do you really think that it was easy for me to move on? Did I have a choice in that?" he asked, his tone escalating. Her previous attempt at controlling the situation seemed futile, for she couldn't help but lash out at him.

"You had a choice to not move on so soon!"

"Who are you to tell me what I can and can't do? We aren't together anymore, last time I checked!" he retorted.

"So is this your way of trying to get back at me, hurting me with a rebound?!"

Brandon growled. "Don't you dare call her that! She is _not_ a rebound!"

"Sure as hell doesn't seem like it to me," Callie scoffed, rolling her eyes. "After being together for so long, you enter into another relationship a few months after our break up…that sounds pretty pathetic."

Running a hand through his hair, Brandon shook his head, scoffing, "This is stupid."

"So why are you still here, then? You could just walk out of here and forget about this whole conversation."

"Well, isn't it about time that we end this?"

Callie felt the wind knock out of her lungs. Hearing those harsh words, on top of everything else he had spoken, ripped open the scar of the past as she felt tears well up in her eyes. That was the phrase she had feared, denying it all along. She always knew that this had to come to an end…but she had been running away from facing the issue in an attempt to avoid the bitterness that was inevitable, the means to an end that every broken relationship had to face: closure.

"F-fine," she whispered shakily.

But when she looked into his eyes, a hint of the familiar compassion and genuine concern faintly resurfaced, revealing the Brandon she had loved for so long. His rigid armor of coldness cracked, allowing the vulnerability to seep through its edges. He leaned forward, his face hovering just a few inches away. She held her breath, as his lips neared hers.

"I don't believe you," he said, his breath ghosting her lips. She closed her eyes, waiting.

Much to her disappointment, however, he took a step back, smugness written across his face.

It was incredible, the rush of emotions flooding through her when he had come to such close contact. It's as if it was just yesterday they were still together, each struggling for dominance as they toyed with one another.

She sighed. As strong as she tried to be, Brandon sure did know how to weaken her self-control. After all of the guys she had been with, only he had the power to do that to her, play with her dwindling self control until she was left with a fragile string…and he knew that.

Confusion was also flung into the sexual tension of the ordeal, bothering her as she collected herself.

"Aren't you happy with Abby?" Callie questioned.

The caring expression left and his face once again hardened.

"Of course I am," he snapped. "I love her."

He took another step back and crossed his arms, glaring. "I just know that you aren't ready to end things, even though I've already moved on."

"If you love her, why aren't you being completely honest with her?" she retorted. She was definitely contradicting herself with her previous decision to be excluded from the issue, but at this point she could care less. He really was being an ass.

"Excuse me?"

"You never told her about us," Callie glared. "At least not the whole truth."

"Whatever happens between Abigail and I is none of your business," Brandon scowled.

"Well, lying sure is a way to change a relationship."

"You would know about that, wouldn't you?" he spat.

She froze, absolutely wordless. Now that was a definite blow to the head. Feeling her legs weaken, she supported herself against the counter.

Brandon shook his head, his blue eyes flashing her a cold look. "Forget about it. Now _this_ is stupid," he said icily, striding out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Dazed, Callie regained her bearings enough to drag herself to the sink and wash the used glass. A certain numbness had washed over her, clouding any coherent thoughts into a jumbled mess of blurred anguish and dejection. She made her way back to her room, not caring anymore if her feet hit the creaking floorboards.

She climbed back under the covers, burying her face into her pillow.

Once again, she battled for sleep, but this time tears had filled her eyes. Brandon's harsh words reeled through her mind, causing her to toss and turn into an agitated night of nightmares.

Little did she know, that across the hallway, Brandon tossed about in his bed just as agitatedly, guilt biting away at his conscience as he struggled to forget the harsh words that had come out of his own mouth in exchange for bittersweet vengeance. The pain in Callie's eyes was the last image he fell asleep to, his fists clenched as he fell into his own slumber of self-hatred and regret.

* * *

**Oh, the angst. I know, I know, talk about a lot of drama. I know that Brandon may seem OC, but think about it: this isn't the same B we have all come to know and love on the show. He's ****older ****now and has grown a lot in two years, especially with the heartbreak between him and Callie (which obviously didn't end well). And when it comes to Abby, I'm trying to make her as realistic as possible and to give her depth, a character that isn't outright rude like Talya but someone you can empathize with (yet feel mixed emotions because of Ballie).**

**So, enough rambling from me. Don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you all think! It will only take a few seconds and would be really encouraging :) and follow/favorite this if you haven't already.**

**-J **


	4. The Apology

**A/N: Hello again, my readers! I've been writing these chapters faster and longer than I ever did for other stories, thanks to all of your wonderful encouragement :) I probably sound like broken record here, but I really do mean it when I say that I'm very grateful for your reviews! I'm truly honored to have this story followed/favorited. So here goes the next chapter! Cheers!**

* * *

Callie awoke to the sensation of her phone vibrating underneath her pillow, buzzing away as she clumsily reached below to retrieve it. She cursed under her breath at whoever was awake at this ungodly hour, squinting at the unforgiving sunlight that beamed through the curtains.

"Hello?" she answered, her voice raspy with sleep – or rather, the lack of it.

"Callie! Where the hell are you?"

She suddenly shot up in bed, head whipping towards the nightstand as she gaped at the alarm clock, horrified.

"Crap, it's 10!" she groaned. "Tracy, can you please tell Jen that I'm sick?"

She heard a muffling and murmurs over the phone, as her co-worker grumbled.

"Seriously, Callie?" Tracy sighed. "You've already called in sick before. Look, I know these morning hours are tough, especially on a weekday when you're normally sleeping in for class later-"

"He's back," Callie interrupted her.

Silence followed.

"Oh."

"Yeah…and he brought along his girlfriend."

"_Oh._"

She laughed weakly. "Yeah, I know."

The crackling of the line and the background noise of customers chatting were heard, as she heard her friend breathe close to the receiver.

"Okay, umm…I'll figure something out," Tracy replied quietly. "Just take care of yourself, okay?"

"Thanks."

"And maybe we can meet up after my shift, yeah? I want to know how she is," she snickered.

Callie laughed. "Will do, Trace. I'll text you. And thanks again." She hung up the phone, exhaling a sigh of relief.

She seriously had no idea what she would do without Tracy.

Ever since they met through the support group, they shared a bond of understanding and care, sharing similar life stories of rejection and disappointment in the system. They came to rely on each other, realizing that if others failed them that they had each other. Callie was surprised how close they had become, even telling each other their deepest secrets and fears.

The only other person she found to trust this much was Brandon…and when he left, Trace was the one who was there for her, standing by her through everything.

She honestly probably would have lost her mind already if it wasn't for her friend's support. Tracy was the one who stayed by her through the grieving process, taking her by the hand to tell her that it was going to be okay and eventually helping her with distractions.

As if she didn't do enough for her already, with a few good words to her manager, Tracy even landed Callie her job at the restaurant, knowing that she needed extra money to help pay for her tuition.

Never in her life did she imagine finding a friend to truly rely on, placing her trust in their hands wholly after so much past heartbreak.

"Thank you, Tracy," Callie murmured appreciatively into the air, a smile tugging on her lips.

She got up out of bed, stumbling into the bathroom. Staring at the mirror, she was horrified to see large dark circles underneath her eyes. Hopefully, Mariana had some thick concealer somewhere on her drawer that wasn't too dark for her skin tone…she looked absolutely as terrible as she felt.

Callie bent over the sink, splashing cold water against her face. After drying off and brushing her teeth, she went to her closet to pick out something to wear.

Then she heard a loud banging of a plate and a hiss from downstairs, the disconcerting sound disrupting the quiet.

Her heart stopped as she caught her breath.

Nobody was supposed to be in the house. The rest of the Foster siblings were at school, the moms were at work, and Brandon was out somewhere with Abby. She quickly threw on a sweater and grabbed a heavy flashlight on her nightstand, gripping it like a bat and ready to swing at the intruder.

She cautiously stepped down the stairs, weapon ready. Her eyes darted around the living room, ears alert and heart pounding in her chest. She quickened her steps to lean against the wall as she heard whispers in the kitchen.

Sucking in a deep breath, Callie whipped around the doorframe, swinging fiercely.

"Ow! What the hell!"

Callie immediately stopped, eyes falling upon a very…bare-chested and wet Brandon. It dawned on her that he was only in his boxers. Her breath hitched, as her heart continued to race but for very different reasons than the moments before.

_Damn…whatever he's doing is definitely working for him. _

He had always been very fit, but veered more towards leanness than bulkiness, which she rather liked. However, she couldn't help to rethink her preference, noticing that his once wiry muscles were now more sculpted, dipping and ascending into the grooves of his abdominal muscles and nicely down-

Her face reddened, diverting her gaze to the window above the sink.

But even when her vision of him was detracted, that couldn't stop her from inhaling his intoxicating scent of fresh shampoo. He had undoubtedly just taken a shower, which explained the messy wet hair that she found irresistible.

"I-I'm so sorry," Callie apologized, clearly flustered. She placed the flashlight on the counter, holding up her hands as if to surrender.

To her surprise, Brandon laughed.

"It's fine, really."

It was nice to hear him laugh again, especially considering the heaviness of the night before. It brought a slight smile to her face. "I thought you were out with Abby?"

He cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably. "Well…"

In hesitance, he stepped slightly to the side, revealing a small figure hidden behind him.

Callie's heart sank.

Abby's hair was soaked as well, and she was clad in nothing but Brandon's shirt from the night before, which still hung loosely on her. Her face was flushed red as she tried to lower the hem of the shirt over her thighs.

"I'm so sorry," she squeaked, embarrassed. "We thought you were out at work."

Callie's eyes darted to Brandon, who seemed to take an interest in the pictures taped to the refrigerator.

"Wow," she muttered under her breath.

Once again, tension arose, but with only the three people in the room and a really uncomfortable situation at hand, the stress multiplied exponentially off the roof.

"I'm…going to get my phone. I think I left it in your room," Abby gave Brandon a squeeze on the hand, flashing Callie another apologetic look before lithely streaking out of the kitchen. Soon after, the click of the door to Brandon's room closing was softly heard in the stillness of the empty house.

The two stood in apprehensive silence, an occurrence that already seemed to happen a bit too often.

"I gotta say, Brandon, I'm impressed," Callie shook her head, crossing her arms.

Brandon raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I know you've changed," she lowered her voice. "But breaking the rules so quickly after being here for not even a day? It's like you're an entirely different person."

"I broke the rules with you," he shot back. "It's not like I have a clean record to begin with coming back here."

"So you use that as an excuse to justify you disobeying the moms as soon as you come back? That's pretty pathetic, _Golden Boy_," she spat out the nickname with disgust.

Brandon suddenly grabbed her arm, pulling her close. Her eyes widened and she gasped. There was a fire in his sullen eyes that blazed with emotions that she had difficulty deciphering, stirring both fear and arousal within her.

"You aren't pissed that I broke rules, Callie," he whispered. "You and I both know that that isn't the issue here."

She collected her wits enough to shove off his grip, glaring in defiance.

"Why does it matter to you what I feel, anyway? You're with _her_ now."

She quickly turned away from him, angry tears spilling down her face as she tried to hold back her sobs. She had to get away from him, escape from this house that reeked of their memories together that brought her nothing but anguish.

And with that, she stormed out of the kitchen and out of the house, slamming the front door behind her as she attempted to run away from the one person who broke her heart as much as she broke his.

** …**

The lapping of the waves lightly touched Callie's toes, tickling her with the residual foam as they pulled back. She dug her feet deeper into the wet sand, creating small tidal pools that emptied and filled with every cycle.

She looked around, sighing.

_Where are you, Tracy?_

Unfortunately, with her impulsively storming out of the house, Callie had forgotten her phone. But she was able to find enough spare change in her pocket to use a payphone to give her a miserable call, resulting in Tracy promising to immediately meet her along the shore. Callie had no idea how she was going to get past their domineering manager, given how it was around the high peak of lunch hour.

She leaned back, resting on her elbows as she inhaled the scent of the ocean breeze.

Eyes drifting across the empty beach, she couldn't help but miss the usual guise of surfers riding the waves or families playing in the sand, the result of the chilly December draft. She shivered slightly, ignoring the iciness of the water pooling around her toes as she listened to the seagulls cawing.

Callie soon felt a presence approach her from behind, slowly sitting down next to her on the sand. She didn't even have to glance over to know who her silent companion was.

"You're not Tracy," she quietly said.

"No, I'm not," Brandon murmured. "Sorry to disappoint you on that."

Nothing else was said for a while, but just the crashing of waves filled the noiseless space.

"Definitely one of the places I missed," he mused. "So many memories here."

Callie closed her eyes, sighing. _Of course he would say that._

This was their place. This was where she would always run to every time she would get upset, and he never failed to follow her. This was where she cried on his shoulder, confessing her fears and broken dreams. This was where they first confessed their love for each other, shaking her with such emotion that she wept in his arms in joy. This was where they first made love after that wonderful night of stargazing on the blankets, capturing them into an indescribable bliss that endured for hours. And this was where it all ended, that fateful afternoon of tears and heartbreak. From the beginning to end, this place witnessed the entire span of their relationship, from its perfect start to its dreadful finish.

How ironic, that in her attempt to flee from the memories drenched into the walls of their house, she wound up in a place saturated with just as many. He was everywhere, and there was no way of her escaping.

"Why are you here, Brandon?" she questioned through gritted teeth.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed him tracing his finger along the sand, aimlessly drawing out swirls and patterns.

"I'm here….to say I'm sorry," he whispered so quietly she could have imagined it. She finally turned her head to face him, stunned.

He stopped playing with the sand, his eyes filled with shame as he met her gaze.

"I'm sorry for being a jerk to you ever since I stepped back into the house," he continued. "And I'm sorry for the terrible things I said last night and hurting you this morning…when you ran out of the house, I hated myself. Hated what I had become. I have held this anger inside me for so long that it overshadowed my judgment, and all I wanted to do was to hurt you in revenge for hurting me…"

He paused. "I'm so sorry, Callie. I really am."

The cerulean depths of his irises expressed genuine regret, his lips tugged into a saddened grimace. He was no longer the hostile version of himself that she had feared, but only the shell of what he had become.

When she didn't say anything, he inched closer. "Forgive me? Please?"

As much as a part of her clung onto the bitter words he said and stupid things he did in order to throw away his apology, the bigger part of her quivered at the astonishment of it, shaken with the sincerity and emotion. And not to mention she didn't have a clean slate to begin with…he actually had justifiable reasons to be angry at her.

"Only if you forgive me first," Callie whispered.

He drew his arm around her, pulling her into a firm embrace. Her eyes brimmed with tears, trailing down her cheeks as she shrank against him.

"I'll always forgive you," he murmured, his head resting on top of hers.

She longed to extend her apology, to express her regret for every hurtful insult she threw back at him…except she couldn't find the right words to say. But he knew that her shame referred to every insult without verbalization. He always knew.

She sighed into him, inhaling the familiar scent and warmth that only brought on another onslaught of tears pouring down her face. Resting her head against his chest, she listened to his heartbeat the way she used to whenever he would hold her like this, taking comfort in its steady rhythm.

The hand resting on her arm gently traced those aimless figures that remained etched in the sand, except this time with a tenderness that raised goose bumps underneath her thin sweater.

And there they sat on their place along the shore, reveling in each other's familiar touch in a moment they knew was far too fleeting.

Indeed, momentary it was, as Brandon's phone began to vibrate in his pocket. He exhaled a heavy breath, tentatively reaching into his pocket and checking the screen.

"Abby?" Callie asked weakly, already knowing the answer before he even said anything.

"Yeah."

He gently gave her a last squeeze on the arm before withdrawing his own to reply to the text message.

Soon after his sent reply, another text message lit up the screen. He sighed as he read it.

"I…have to go," Brandon warily said. "Abby's waiting for me."

The emptiness gathered at the pit of her stomach, as she straightened herself up.

He was remorseful, seeming to not want to move as much as she did.

"Do you have to?" Callie questioned.

Brandon nodded, slowly standing. He patted the sand away from the back of his jeans and pulled at the hem of his sweater.

"Callie, I…" he paused, hesitant.

She waited, looking up at him expectantly.

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I'm glad that we're okay now," he finished. "I'll just see you at the house."

And with that he left, giving her a last glance before trudging across the sand to the boardwalk.

Callie stared emptily across the horizon, her mind still wrapping around the emotional and physical exchange. Her skin still tingled with the lingering of his touch. She reached over to where his hand was, absently squeezing her arm for comfort.

After the emotional turmoil that occurred in the span of less than 24 hours, she felt drained…plus ironically empty and confused despite the resolve that was supposed to make her feel better, not worse.

The way he looked at her, touched her, and whispered to her, all made her head spin.

_He felt something…didn't he?_

She couldn't have imagined the hesitancy in his eyes when he said that he had to go…it was real, right? The way he held her against him as she cried, rubbing her arm soothingly with recognizable affection that was definitely not a figment of her imagination…or was it?

Was he just being a good Samaritan, comforting her out of pity and shame that stemmed from his own wrongdoing, and the reasoning for his actions excluded romance?

Brandon held the intention of asking for her forgiveness, as she sought his, but what resolve did they really reach? Was this simply just in repentance to their conflict, or was this ultimately a form of the closure she had feared so long, the official "end" to their relationship that he spoke of the night before?

Her mind continued to spin with endless questions, causing a headache.

Groaning, Callie hugged her knees to her chest and buried her face.

_Seriously, Callie? Here comes Brandon, being the better person and apologizing to you, and all you could think about afterward is if he's still into you? _She shook her head at herself, annoyed.

Over-analyzing things could only end in disaster, considering how delicate things are now that their issues have barely boiled over. Whatever this was, all she could do was accept and appreciate that they had finally reached a common ground…whether or not that meant the establishment of their relationship's termination, which, that small part of her knew, she couldn't accept. She wasn't ready to accept it, not after the way she felt every time he touched her or neared her personal space. And she hoped he felt the same way.

However, there was one fact that remained, amidst the numerous questions and self-doubt: she missed him already. But the reality of a buzzing phone was the rain check proving that he wasn't hers to keep. Not anymore.

* * *

**Oh, the Brallie moment :3 as brief as it was, I couldn't help but smile while writing it. So, where will this apology lead for our favorite pair? And poor confused Callie. Are things as platonic as she feels, or is will it grow into something more? ;) Tell me what you think and stay tuned!**

**And please leave reviews; they make my day!**

**-J**


	5. The Bonfire

**A/N: Hello, fanfic world! You guys are absolutely wonderful and deserve to be showered in a dozen rainbows (because that's what you all make me feel)! Seriously, thank you all so much for the encouraging reviews! It always brightens my day every time I open one, and I'm very honored to have my work read and liked. Enjoy this chapter (which is **_**the longest chapter I have ever written**_**, and I'm really proud of that lol).**

**Side note: Oh goodness! The finale last night had me shouting at the screen in frustration! Can't believe we were left with such a cliffhanger for the next five months :( but oh well, thankfully that's what fanfiction is for, to keep us all sane in the meantime haha. I'll keep you guys company until then!**

**So happy reading and cheers!**

* * *

The next several days resided in ease, as opposed to the tension felt before the encounter on the beach.

The air felt lighter – well, at least whenever Abby wasn't around, but that was on Callie's part and not anyone else's.

She really tried, plastering on a smile of ease whenever the girl was in the house, avoiding eye contact every time those two were together. It was a rather impressive front, convincing to the common outsider…which Brandon obviously was not.

Every time his girlfriend came over – which was _a lot _– they avoided each other at all costs, seeming to share a mutual understanding that awkwardness was best to be evaded.

Callie couldn't blame her. She was fulfilling her duties as 'Brandon's girlfriend', regularly inhabiting the household and partaking in family activities. And from what she heard over dinner the other night, the aunt that Abby was staying with was never really home, tending to the dance studio she owned and traveling with dance troupes she led. Thus, Brandon didn't need to fulfill his share of similar familial duties as her boyfriend, other than making sure she was always welcome in the house and spending time with her.

But Callie's interaction with Brandon, excluding the presence of the third party, was definitely progressing. Progressing to what direction, the Foster girl wasn't sure, but she was grateful regardless. He seemed to make an effort, hoping to reconnect as much she did.

They fell into a pattern, avoiding each other in the morning – Callie rushing out of the house to 'work', but really in order to prevent another uncomfortable encounter while Abby and Brandon were minding their business upstairs after their morning run – and talking to each other at night, after Brandon dropped off Abby to her aunt's. They switched off between each other's rooms, chatting about their days while playing music together like before.

It was nice, spending this alone time with Brandon, despite it being only a small fraction of the day. It soon became what Callie would look forward to, anxiously watching the clock at work so she could jet off home and speed through dinner just to simply converse with him.

She would vent to him about the rude customers of the day, laugh with him as she recounted the crazy pranks Tracy pulled on the other staff, and rejoice in the occasional generous tip from a kind patron.

She forgot how great of a listener he was, the way that he would nod enthusiastically and laugh when things were light but know when to remain silent when the subject became grim.

And in exchange…he would talk about Abby.

He could go on and on about her, mentioning their adventures in New York and her odd quirks that he loves, and Callie would listen…or at least try her best to. She knew that he couldn't help it… he was crazy about her. It hurt her inside, but she came to the conclusion that having this reconnection with Brandon was better than nothing at all, even if it meant pretending to be happy for him while she was aching.

She knew that she was supposed to be angry about this, develop impatience and rage how she shouldn't be tossed aside like some second choice upon Brandon's own convenience. But that's the thing: he was Brandon. The boy – well, _man_, to be precise – that she let her guard down those years ago, the one that earned her trust and proved to her that first day upon saving Jude that he was different. If it were any other guy in this situation, she would have become fed up long time ago, exchanging her share of furious words and dropping this whole situation in a heartbeat. Except that he wasn't like any other guy. And she both hated him and loved him for it.

"She loves this part, especially," Brandon grinned. His fingers flitted across the piano keys, emanating a flowing crescendo. "Her eyes always light up whenever I play it. Sometimes she even asks me to play it like it's on a loop so she could dance to it."

"Uh huh," Callie nodded absently. She strummed her guitar, distracting herself by eyeing the chords on the sheet music.

Tonight, he seemed especially smitten with his girlfriend, mentioning that today was their second monthsary and how they spent the day together, and on and on and on…

"Hey…Callie?"

She looked up, fingers still plucking at the strings and moving across the frets. "Yeah?"

"Are you doing anything this Friday?"

She suddenly struck a wrong chord, the discordance making them both wince. She ducked her head down, pretending to study the sheet music as she tried to hide her embarrassment.

_Wait…what? Brandon asking me if I have plans this Friday? Could this mean…_

"-because Abby and her friends are having a bonfire party at the beach, and I wanted to know if you would like to come."

_Oh._

She wanted to give herself a facepalm. _Who the hell are you kidding? Of course it would involve Abby. Why would you even think otherwise?_

"Um, I'm not sure, Brandon…I don't exactly know any of her friends."

"You'll be fine. I only met a few of them, and the ones that I know are pretty nice," he replied, swinging his legs over the piano bench so that he was facing her. "Come on, Callie. Step out of your bubble and put yourself out there…you know, meet new people."

Callie raised an eyebrow, shooting him a skeptical look. "Put myself out there? Meet new people?" she repeated. "You make it sound like I don't have any friends."

"Who do you spend time with aside from our family?"

"Um…Tracy."

A smirk played on his lips.

"Hey! Tracy is great company!" she protested.

"I'm sure she is," he laughed. "I'm just saying that it would be nice to socialize and make new connections. Getting to know others that you normally wouldn't find yourself talking to."

"Sounds like a lot of work," she scoffed. "And this is coming from _you_? Brandon Foster, the guy who spent most of his nights staying at home, practicing piano pieces and studying for classes, not partying out his high school years?"

Brandon shrugged. "With Abby being a social butterfly, I've learned to go out and appreciate small talk with strangers…especially living in New York, where everyone is a stranger. You just never know if you'll relate to someone and make a new friend."

He eyed Callie, who remained unconvinced.

"Please, Callie?" he pouted, leaning forward. "I think it would be fun, making new friends and all. It'll be good for you."

She tried avoiding his gaze, but he kept shifting around so that she was forced to look at him no matter which way she turned. She couldn't help but laugh at his playfulness, the persistence twinkling in those blue orbs that she found so irresistible.

"Fine," she sighed. "I'll go."

_Damn you, Brandon Foster. The things that I do for you…_

** …**

Watching the flames wildly sway and grapple the night sky, Callie wrapped the blanket tighter around herself and shivered.

Tonight was a lot chillier than expected. Even Brandon, after experiencing the frostiness of New York's autumn and winter, seemed to shudder underneath his thick sweater as he sat across from her. He rubbed his palms together, holding them close to the fire.

But the frigidity of the night didn't seem to waver the excited spirits of Abby and her dancer friends, who proceeded to dance to a routine off to the side as nearby speakers played a song.

She cocked an eyebrow at their direction. _Where the hell do they get all this energy from?_

"They're not human…"

She turned to the voice, facing a guy with a mop of messy blonde hair and green eyes. He was sitting on a nearby log and held a guitar, strumming a light tune.

"Huh?"

"They're dancers," he finished with a wink, a grin teasing on his lips.

It took a moment for Callie to understand the joke, and she laughed.

"Ah, the Killers," she mused. "Pretty clever." She took another glance at him, studying his features. He seemed awfully familiar…and she remembered Abby introducing him, but his name, like all the other ten or so people, flew over her head.

"I'm Hunter, by the way," he stopped playing the instrument to reach out his hand to shake. "I figured you already forgot my name, so might as well repeat it."

She took it and smiled. "Callie."

They continued to watch the group dance, with Abby shaking her head and calling out counts.

"They're practicing for this piece they have to perform next week," Hunter observed. "Although, I don't know how well that's going with alcohol in their systems."

Callie smirked, glancing over at the empty cases of beer and liquor haphazardly scattered across the sand. Several hollow cans were carelessly tossed about into the mix of blankets and sleeping bags.

However, the group was impressively coordinated, considering some of their outrageous alcohol intake. Only a few dancers seemed to stumble a bit here and there, but otherwise kept it together.

"Yeah…but shouldn't you be practicing with them?" she inquired.

Her companion chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah, I'm not the dancer. I leave that all to my sister over there, Beth. I'm just a musician."

_Ah, no wonder the guy seems familiar, _she noted. _He looks exactly like his sister._ She spotted Beth in the small cluster, her pixie cut of blonde hair wildly tossing about as she moved in sync with Abby.

Callie shrugged. "Nothing wrong with being a musician."

"Takes one to know," he smiled. "You seem like a musician yourself."

"I play guitar, but nothing professional."

"Ooh, being modest, I see." Hunter extended the guitar to her, his teasing tone returning. "Play something for me."

She shook her head, laughing nervously. "No, it's been a while," she lied. She suddenly felt grateful that the surrounding darkness and blaze of the bonfire was enough to disguise the blush rising in her cheeks.

"You sure?" She nodded.

"Fine, but since you disappointed me, you must accept my offer of a drink," he flashed her that charming smile of his.

Callie felt the blush in her cheeks deepen. He really was nice. Forward, sure, but really amusing to talk to. "Sure, for your sake, I guess I will," she teased back. He feigned a look of insult, clutching his chest jokingly as he stood up to wander off and retrieve a can among the numerous cases around the area.

A clearing of someone's throat was suddenly heard, and Callie looked up. Across from her, the disapproval was shining in Brandon's eyes. She forgot that he was even there.

"What?" she retorted. "I'm doing what you told me. I'm making friends."

He shrugged, clearly skeptical. "Doesn't seem like it to me. Looks like he wants more than that."

"Well, if he does…then I don't think that's a problem with me," she replied casually. "Hunter seems like a nice guy. I want to get to know him more."

Brandon muttered something under his breath, running a hand through his hair in what appeared to be frustration. _Could that be…jealousy?_

Before Callie could delve any further into the thought, Hunter returned, handing her a can of beer as he sat next to her.

"For my lady," he added with a wink.

Ignoring the glare that she knew Brandon was shooting at her, she smiled, murmuring a thank you before scooting closer to him. She proceeded to touch his arm, loudly laughing at another joke he quipped without even fully paying attention to what he said.

** …**

As the night proceeded, the energy of the dance troupe dwindled to an eventual lethargy, each gathering around the fire and settling down into their blankets and sleeping bags.

Crawling into Brandon's lap, Abby curled against him, her small frame shivering slightly. He held her closely, wrapping them both in a blanket as he kissed the top of her head. He rubbed his familiar circles along her layered arm, whispering into her ear.

With the burning in her heart as searing as the blazing fire, Callie pushed aside the intense hurt that continued to build within her, as she tried to avert her gaze away and listen to Hunter sing.  
**  
**_"So show me family,_

_All the blood that I would bleed._

_I don't know where I belong._

_I don't know where I went wrong._

_But I can write a song."_

Hunter smiled at her, nodding as he thumped his foot to the rhythm. Chants began to fill the night air as everyone joined in the recognized chorus.

"_1, 2, 3,_

_I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart._

_I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweet."_

Voices began to fade away into the background, as Callie met Brandon's gaze. She slowly felt the world stop, the air settling as everything and everyone in existence disappeared, leaving only him to her tunneled vision.

His eyes smoldered with the intense gaze that always made her melt time and time again, emphasized by the dancing of the flames splaying across his gorgeous features. She was left breathless, the overwhelming longing for him crushing her lungs as she desired to cover those lips with her own.

And in return, Brandon studied her, the vulnerability in her eyes making him shiver with reasons that didn't involve the chilly winter air. Her lips parted slightly, causing his mouth to dry. He remembered the way she would look at him like that…every time he made love to her those many nights in his room in secrecy. The way her hungry eyes would beg for him, reflecting such deep passion and love that quickened his thrusts. And the way those soft lips of hers would kiss the sweat off his forehead, as they collapsed into a languid tangle of limbs after reaching their climax together, holding each other until the morning sun broke through the window.

Neither one blinked, afraid of the simple yet intimate moment to end.

_"I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart.  
I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweet."_

The surrounding laughter and cheers slowly returned, breaking the spell between the two into cruel reality.

With lips that suddenly pressed against his own, Brandon forcibly tore his eyes away from Callie's to return to the delicate girl in his arms. He feebly attempted to reciprocate the affections, struggling to return her kisses with equal force.

"I love you," Abby moaned, moving her lips down his jaw and kissing him affectionately along the neck. Her small hands slid underneath his shirt, trailing lower to the button of his pants. A lump gathered in the back of his throat, as he felt the warmth of her tongue slide over his skin.

"I love you, too," he whispered weakly.

She tilted her head up, recapturing his lips into a passionate kiss. But rather than closing his eyes, he veered his gaze towards Callie…or at least the empty spot where she once sat. Startled, he broke the kiss.

"Everything okay, baby?" Abby asked, breathless.

Brandon quickly nodded, eyes searching for the missing brunette across the campsite.

"Did you bring the condoms?" she purred, her hands unbuttoning his pants underneath the blanket. She slid down the zipper, fingering the hem of his boxers.

He suddenly brought his hands over hers, stopping them.

"Where's Callie?" he questioned. The worry in his voice set her off into confusion, as Abby raised an eyebrow.

"Umm…I don't know? She was here a moment ago. Maybe she went for a walk?" She proceeded to slip her hand into his boxers, the lust clouding her eyes. But much to her surprise, Brandon stopped her again, but this time with more firmness.

"Abby, stop," he begged. "Not now."

He gave her a squeeze on the arm and beckoned her to stand up, brushing sand off of both of them as he kissed her forehead. He gathered the blanket in his arms and wrapped it solely around her.

"What are you doing?" Abby asked, puzzled.

He bent over to reach into his backpack, pulling out a flashlight.

"I'm going to look for her."

Before anything else could be said on the issue, Brandon already hurriedly set off on his search to find Callie, anxiously moving the illumination across the sand.

Abby stared after him, speechless.

"Where is he going?" Hunter inquired. He had stopped playing his guitar, concern crossing his features.

"I…don't know," she admitted. She sat back down on the log, blankly staring into the fire. "He went to go look for Callie. He seemed really worried for some reason."

The musician shrugged. "It is pretty dark out here. She could be wandering off further than she thinks."

Abby nodded. "Yeah…I guess so." She looked over at the distant lighting of the flashlight that beamed across the sand, as Brandon stepped further and further away into the darkness. "That should be it."

** …**

For such a small interval of time to disappear, Callie impressively trekked rather far. Brandon rubbed his eyes, wearied. The several drinks he had earlier took a toll on him, blurring his already impended vision slightly.

He searched everywhere, calling out her name as he trudged along the shoreline and the area close to the boardwalk, even crossing both directions just to make sure, but without any success.

_Unless…_

His eyes widened.

Brandon advanced towards the ocean, his quickened steps increasing into sprints.

_No, no, no, Callie! Please, no!_

He winced at the iciness of the water as he abruptly broke through the waves, flashing the light fretfully in desperation. He continued to haul across the ocean's surf until he was almost to waist-deep in water, calling out her name. The crashing of the waves drowned out his voice, but he persisted.

"Callie!" he shouted. "Callie!"

"Hey."

He whipped around, shocked to see Callie slowly approach him through the sloshing waters, her clothes entirely soaked.

"No need to shout," she murmured calmly, standing in front of him.

"Where the hell were you?" he yelled angrily. "You got me so worried! What if something happened to you?!" Despite his rage, an underlying tone of brokenness seeped through his words.

As if her sudden appearance wasn't enough to surprise him, Callie enclosed the small space between them, drawing him to her and embracing him tightly. Brandon flinched at the contact of her damp clothes against him, but slowly encircled his arms around her waist. He breathed in the mixture of her scent and sea salt, relief washing over him.

"Nothing would have ever happened to me," she replied quietly, "because I knew that you will always follow me wherever I go, especially into the darkness."

His heart softened, as he felt his anger slowly ebb away. He felt her hands rub his back soothingly, and he rested his head on top of hers – similar to the other day along the shore.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, okay?" he whispered. "Yes, I will follow you anywhere, but that doesn't mean run off recklessly at any given moment. You will soon give me a heart attack at this rate."

He felt her smile against his chest, and he tightened his grip around her.

They stood still like that for a moment, holding each other as the icy waves splashed around them.

** …**

"Why did you run?" he questioned. They had dragged themselves to shore, and were now squeezing the excess water out of their clothes, attempting to achieve some sort of dryness.

"Why are your pants undone?" Callie retorted, smirking.

Brandon looked down, the dim lighting of the moonlight revealing his unfastened pants that hung dangerously low on his hips. In his rash state of panic, he ran off and completely forgot about them. Blushing furiously, he dropped the flashlight to quickly fasten them back on.

"Umm…well, you know," he awkwardly shrugged. He scratched the back of his neck and gave her a sheepish grin.

"Okay…well, I actually do know," she replied. The smirk on her face vanished. "And _that_ is why I ran."

He gaped at her. "Y-you know?" He felt like an idiot by asking.

"It's pretty damn obvious just looking at you, Brandon," she scoffed. "And while it was happening, that was obvious as well. She wasn't exactly being discreet, with her moaning and the movement underneath that blanket. I seriously thought that you two would start having sex right there in front of everyone."

"So then you storm off and throw yourself into the ocean, knowing that I'll come after you?" he repeated incredulously.

"Seeing something disgusting like that made me want to wipe away the memory," she bitterly snapped back. "What better way to distract yourself than to go into the freezing water?"

Suddenly remembering the discarded flashlight, he reached down to retrieve it, only to look up and see that she had already started walking ahead of him. He quickened his pace to catch up.

"She was drunk!" he protested, falling in step with her.

Callie rolled her eyes. "No matter how drunk she was, she could have at least dragged you into a sleeping bag off to the side or something, not right there in the center of everyone. It was damn stupid on her part and thoughtless on yours to allow to her keep going."

"People do stupid things while being drunk all the time!"

"What? And now you're standing up for her?" she snapped. "Last time I checked, you were pretty harsh when Talya pulled off that crazy stunt on video back in high school!"

Brandon tugged at her arm, turning her to face him. "Look, Callie," he sighed. He ran his hand through his hair in the way that indicated his frustration. "I know that what I'm saying contradicts how I felt back in high school…but that was back then. After coming into college, I'm more understanding about these things…the reasons why people drink on the weekends to escape. Not excessively and not frequently, but just enough. And then they make mistakes, as embarrassing as they are. But it's normal." He paused. "Abby has been going through things, but I keep her in line every time she has a little too much."

He watched Callie, who remained unresponsive. "Besides, I wouldn't have let it go that far," he added.

"Only because you stopped to run after me!" she argued.

"No! That's not true! I know where my line is crossed!"

Callie crossed her arms, snarling, "But does _she_ know where her line is? Or is she that damn carefree that she does whatever the hell she pleases?! Great way to prove that you have control over your girlfriend!"

Abruptly, Brandon pulled her into his strong arms, which she tried to fight back. He held her firmly against him as she cursed angrily at him, patiently waiting for her to vent out her frustrations and insults since he knew that he deserved it. Shoving at his chest helplessly, angry tears started to flow down her cheeks.

"We both know that this isn't really about her," he murmured. "Now stop fighting. Please."

Callie's ineffective shoves eventually ceased as she withered against him, crying.

"This isn't fair, Brandon!" she cried. She knew she sounded like a needy child, and she hated it, but she couldn't help how she felt. Images of the man she adored and _that girl_ making love flooded her mind, tormenting her. She was supposed to be the one in his bed and possessing his heart, not _her. _Not that inconsiderate wrench.

"I know, Callie. I know."

She sniffed, ineffectively drying her tears by wiping them with her wet sleeve. "If you know…then why aren't you with me?" she questioned resentfully.

"Because…as much as it hurts me to say this to you," he sighed. "I really do love her. I know that I've said it before and maybe you don't believe me, but I mean it."

As much as he tried to gently break down the words to her, Callie couldn't stop the hurt from growing, seeping, drowning her into a mess of misery. If anything, the gentleness in his tone worsened the stinging, twisting the knife with pity in which the stabbing of her wounds tore her apart.

She wanted to give him one last final push to get him away from her, but the lack of his touch would leave her empty and cold, epitomizing the irony that the cure to her wounds was the source of her pain.

"Please understand that," he pleaded. His voice was weak, as he struggled to get the words out without breaking down. He had to stay strong and stand his ground, convince her even when he had trouble believing it himself…for the both of them.

_Come on, Brandon. You know that there is no other way around this, _he thought to himself. _Help her to move on, even though you know it's killing you inside…she deserves to be happy. And you can't give her that happiness, not like before. _

As much as she wanted to understand for his sake, she couldn't. She just couldn't. She tried before, eagerly taking their reconnection as a second chance after their reconciliation, but all she did was bury it underneath the surface, secretly hoping for his return. By understanding, that would mean to accept the fact that he loves someone else and give up everything that they worked for, everything that they shared. Then to give up would mean to let go, and to let go would mean to eventually stop loving him…which was impossible for her to do.

"No," she responded fiercely, with every ounce of strength she had left. "I don't understand. And there is no way in hell I ever will."

* * *

**Oh my goodness. I seriously made myself cry while writing this last part, since I really can relate to how Callie feels. *****takes a deep breath* Whew. So, tell me what you guys think! Will Abby dwell more on Brandon's strange behavior, or will she let it slide? Is Brandon really giving up on Callie? And what will Callie do now: will she fight and stand her ground? Or will she become fed up and leave?**

**Leave it all in a review (you can even vent out your emotions if you want to)! And follow/favorite this to stay tuned!**

**Until next time,**  
**-J**


	6. The Shopping Trip

**A/N: You guys are amazing, you know that? Every single one of you :) if I could list every one of your usernames on here to thank, I would. As a writer, your reviews are so wonderful and encouraging for me. It brings me true joy to know that my work is appreciated and liked, so once again, thank you all for following this story :) It means a lot to me. Cheers, my lovelies!**

* * *

A roller coaster. That's what he was.

A death-defying, unpredictable thrill ride that pulled her above and below into erratic twists and turns, as the adrenaline pumped through her veins. From the thrilling beginning to the disappointment that it ended so soon, the memories of the adrenaline-induced moments while soaring into the sky and diving down below are enough to tempt her to want to try again.

That's what Brandon Foster was to her. A damn tempting roller coaster that lured her to try again, despite knowing how it was going to end.

It was too late for her to turn back now; she was pulled into the ride the moment he stepped through that front door. But at the remembrance of rising above and plummeting below, Callie realized that she was experiencing neither; she was currently on a standstill. At this point, the ride had been broken, causing her to wait in suspense, wait for the continuation…and she came to the realization that she was tired of this waiting.

Whilst waiting in the stillness, she realized that she would rather gladly hit the highs or miserably crash the lows than experience this suspension in mid-air. It was like not being on the ride at all, but worse; it meant clinging onto the ride with heavy hope that things would be just as exciting as planned, anticipating for it to continue, but knowing that it will never be the same.

But she didn't have the choice of climbing off this ride. No, like a roller coaster stopping in mid-air, she was forced to stay in her seat until the ride continued, eventually pulling her to the same end…and she became more and more impatient with every minute that passed, especially when dealing with the damn complications of involving herself in it.

Yes, she had grown tired of this waiting…her patience was wearing awfully thin. And she had no idea how much longer she could stand it before she burst.

"What?" Callie turned towards the doorway, arms crossed. "What do you want?"

Cautiously stepping into the room, Abby sighed, the bright hazel in her eyes teeming with wariness.

"I just wanted to know if you would like to join Mariana and I on our shopping trip," she replied.

Callie raised an eyebrow. "What for?" She wasn't exactly in the pleasantest of moods to begin with, so feigning kindness at this point would be futile.

"We're going dress shopping for Gala Night…like what we talked about over dinner last night."

_Oh. Gala Night._ The event that Hunter mentioned at the bonfire where Abby and her dance troupe were going to perform a piece, and was still texting her about it ever since. She almost forgot about that, probably because she wasn't listening as Abby went on to explain how her aunt created events like Gala Night to display talent from her studio to upper-class families and talent scouts, in hopes of wringing in sponsors for upcoming competitions and future funding. She invited the whole Foster clan to the party, insisting that her aunt wanted them all to come and even reserved a whole table for them already.

Callie could feel herself smirk. Okay…maybe she was listening. She just pretended to look like she didn't care; but to be quite honest, she didn't.

"I don't have any money to buy an extravagant dress," she pointed out.

_There. What do you have to say now? _

"Don't you remember that I said my aunt wanted to treat you guys out?"

_Damn...that excuse is out the window._

After the initial excitement that jostled over the dinner table about attending the formal event reduced to a calm, Mariana started to whine that she lacked a proper dress for the occasion, prompting Abby to offer to take the Foster sisters out on a shopping trip. She added that her aunt had previously offered to pay for their dresses if it became an issue, saying that this was her way of expressing her gratitude that the Fosters had taken in her niece into their home. Despite the generous offer and their appreciation, Stef and Lena later on slipped money to each daughter to help pay for their dresses, whispering that it was an early Christmas present from them.

"Well…" Callie hesitated. "I guess I don't have a choice then, do I?"

"Oh, come on," Abby sighed. "It won't be that bad."

**...**

After waiting for Mariana to get ready – which always took an awfully long time – the girls gathered in Abby's car, a spiffy black BMW. It was one of her aunt's, she explained, that had been given to her as a graduation present.

"Where's Brandon?" Mariana asked, settling into the front seat as she buckled her seatbelt.

"He said he'll join us later," Abby smiled. She adjusted her rear view mirror. "He still isn't feeling so well ever since the bonfire."

Callie leaned her elbow against the window, sneering to herself.

The next day after their late night dip into the freezing ocean, Brandon became sick, while she was left with just a slight cold. As terrible as it sounded, she couldn't help but feel amused every time he scavenged the house for another tissue box, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets as he shivered. Maybe she still felt a bit spiteful over the whole night, along with the mixture of other emotions she knew were best to be ignored.

"Where are we going?" Mariana questioned, as she leaned forward and began to fiddle with the controls to the radio. Rather than taking the normal route to the mall, they seemed to have taken a detour towards the opposite direction.

"You'll see," Abby teased with a wink.

"Oh!" Mariana gasped, pausing on a station. "I love this song!" She increased the volume, grinning. The car began to resonate with the song's techno beat, as she sung along to the lyrics.

_"'Cause you are the piece of me, I wish I didn't need._

_Chasing relentlessly, still fight and I don't know why._

_If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?_

_If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?"_

In the midst of continuing to belt out to the song in an overly dramatic fashion, a hand abruptly clamped down on Mariana's shoulder, causing her to yelp. Turning around to see the cross look on Callie's face, she lowered the volume.

"What?" she queried, clearly disappointed. "It's a great song!"

Callie glared at her. "I don't like it," she replied tersely. "Change it."

Much to her approval, the younger Foster sister did, grumbling about musical tastes and pickiness before settling on another station. Abby chuckled, shaking her head as she focused on the road.

Leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms, Callie sighed. Ever since she first heard the song – she didn't even know the name of it – play on the radio, she always had this unexplainable loathing for it, provoking her to immediately change the station before even reaching the end of the first verse. Something about it bothered her, whether it was the beat or the lyrics – but then again, she never even gave the song enough time for her to fully register its words. Nevertheless, just hearing its chorus now especially increased her distaste.

Watching the passing of cars and buildings outside her window, Callie shortly brushed the issue aside; annoyed with herself on how such a trivial matter like that song could peeve her so much. After all, she had bigger things to worry about…such as being in this uncomfortable situation with the girl she had grown a disliking for. She didn't even know where they were going, a supposed 'surprise', which added to her discomfort.

Following a few more minutes of driving, as Mariana chattered on about senior year and upcoming prom plans as being head of the committee, they arrived at their destination: a gorgeous dress boutique with a sign, _L'Eclaireur Couture_, hung above the glass display of stunningly dressed mannequins, set in the midst of an upscale outdoor shopping mall.

Awe-struck, Mariana was the first to step out of the car.

"Wow," the younger Foster sister breathed. "I think I remember reading about this place in the magazines."

She quickened her pace and immediately stepped into the boutique, with Abby and Callie trailing behind. The chiming of a delicate bell indicated their entrance, as a cheerful sales associate greeted them.

"Go ahead and have fun you guys," Abby beamed.

"Oh, we will!" Mariana declared excitedly, already making a beeline for a display of pale pink evening gowns.

However, Callie lingered behind, eyes scanning over the dresses in hesitation. Never in her life did she ever step into such a fancy store before…and it was really intimidating. The mint ornate wallpaper, plush carpeting, and fragrant air contrasted with the stuffy stores she had become accustomed to in malls. Several women primly groomed and dressed in their sales assistant uniforms of seamless black skirts and white silk blouses stood at attention, waiting to tend to every customer's request.

Feeling underdressed in her ripped jeans and slouchy sweater, she felt terribly uncomfortable and out of place.

"Are you alright?" Abby asked, worried.

Callie realized that she had been standing frozen by the boutique's entrance for a while, gawking at the lavishness of it all. A few of the sales assistants had taken notice and seemed to be eyeing her with concern.

"Yeah, yeah…I'm fine," she answered. She slowly made her way over to a display of varying shades of violet dresses, tentatively skimming over each as if afraid to touch them.

"Do you need some help?"

"No, I'm fi- holy shit!" Callie cursed. Her eyes widened upon reading the price tag on a silken indigo gown. Her hand flew to her mouth in shock. "I can't afford this!"

"Hey, I already said that this is my aunt's treat for you guys," Abby said gently. "Pick something you like. Don't be scared."

"Are you crazy? Even if this is a gift to us, these prices are outright insane!" she exclaimed.

"Callie-"

"No, no, no, this is too much," she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I just can't." She backed away from her and quickly left the boutique, the overwhelming atmosphere causing her to need some air.

Despite there being a park bench and several tables and chairs belonging to a French restaurant next door, Callie chose to sit on the curb, resting her head against an ornate street lamp. She sighed, watching as well-dressed families strolled the streets, chattering away as they carried various shopping bags.

Maybe she was being a bit over-dramatic…storming out of the boutique like that. But Callie couldn't help how awkward she felt being in a place like this. It simply wasn't a place where a girl like her belonged.

After bouncing from foster home to foster home, money had always been an issue everywhere she and Jude went. Food was scarce, and they would barely be able to scrape by to afford new clothes every school year. Simple activities, like going to the movies or eating out at restaurants, were considered luxuries. At some point, she remembered Jude asking her why they didn't have the things other kids at school had, like fancy cars or the latest clothes, and all she could reply was that they may be not as fortunate as them, but they were blessed in their own way.

Eventually, the feeling of disgust began to rise within her over the years upon seeing families parade around in their displays of wealth, while others could barely afford basic necessities. It was outrageous how pompous and inconsiderate these families – at least the ones she encountered – could be, judging her and Jude as if they were pitiful. So she learned to shield herself and her brother, avoiding such ignorant people and associated places as the years passed.

And now sitting here, one of these places that would have shunned her and Jude out years ago, disgusted her.

"Mind if I sit with you?"

Callie shrugged. "There isn't a rule saying that you can't," she replied harshly.

Ignoring the callousness in her tone, Abby quietly joined her on the curb, tugging on her hair in the personal trademark that signified her uneasiness.

They sat together in silence, watching extravagant cars pass by and pedestrians saunter down the walkway, bustling in and out of several boutiques and shops.

"Why are you doing this?" Callie asked, breaking the stillness.

"Doing what?"

"Treating us out like this. I know that you said that this is on your aunt's behalf, but still... isn't this excessive?"

"Honestly, this is nowhere near as excessive when it comes to my aunt's tastes," Abby admitted. "Or my family…when it comes to that matter."

There was an unmistakable sadness in her tone, catching Callie off guard.

"Oh."

"I'm sorry if taking you here upset you…I didn't mean for you to feel that way," she apologized sincerely. "This is just somewhere I thought you guys would like."

The silence presumed. Only this time, both parties felt tension.

The Foster girl looked at her inquisitively. The subject definitely struck a nerve, as an unexplainable melancholy and pensiveness in Abby's demeanor altered her usually cheery self. She definitely wasn't expecting the issue to bother her on such a personal level.

"So," Callie continued carefully. She began to run on presumptions, curiosity getting the best of her. "I'm guessing that your family is well-off…and with that wealth, they have always given you what you wanted?"

"Materialistically, yeah, they gave me plenty," Abby answered, shrugging. She suddenly stopped playing with her hair, letting her hand drop to the pavement. "But they never gave me warmth and love…the things that actually matter."

The words brought a lump to Callie's throat, as she glanced at the girl with sympathy. "How so?" she asked softly.

"They were never around. I just wasn't a priority." Abby's eyes followed a young couple pushing an adorned baby stroller along the pathway, and she laughed darkly to herself. "I guess I'm considered ungrateful, coming from this privileged background and still feeling like it's not enough…that there's an emptiness felt whenever I'm at home. I was raised by nannies, and I was left wondering who my parents really were. Sometimes I wished being in other kids' shoes, where I would have less, but at least love was plenty."

"I'm sure that they loved you," Callie said quietly. "They just had a different way of expressing it."

"It certainly was different," Abby muttered. "The role of being the trophy child was forced on me for as long as I could remember. It was always a matter of being the best in dance, best in school, best in everything, just so I could make them proud and notice me…but whenever I did get my awards, my parents were never there to see me. My father was always out on business trips and my mother was too busy being a young socialite…and the only one that was ever there for me was my brother. He was there for every single one, encouraging me to pursue dancing."

She turned to Callie, giving her a sad smile. "You're lucky, you know that? Maybe not when it comes to your past, but now, right here in the present. Whenever Brandon talked about your family and how close you all are, I couldn't help but feel jealous. All of my life, I never had that…a real family to hold onto and cherish, an actual home. I'm just a trophy placed on display, only used to impress friends and colleagues…and I couldn't stand going back there for another month of it."

"You probably hate me for being in your house so much," she continued. "Annoyed that I'm always there. But Brandon isn't the only reason why I love being at your house…" she paused. "It's just that it's the first time I ever felt like I belonged."

With the guilt growing in the pit of her stomach, Callie couldn't help but gaze at Abby in a different light. It dawned on her how very little she knew of the girl sitting next to her on the pavement…and that despite coming from two very different backgrounds, the sense of belonging in the Fosters' home was something they shared, as well as the emptiness of being unloved before stepping into it.

"I know what you mean," Callie nodded. "Well, somewhat…that sense of feeling unwanted. And then you step into that house, and everything changes. You find this love so incredible and genuine from these people who barely know a thing about you, and it scares you because you feel so undeserving."

She laughed at the memory of her first time sitting at the dinner table, with her busted lip and bruised face, the fear growing inside her upon seeing these people who sincerely seemed to care. "It sure did scare the hell out of me."

"I guess we have a lot more in common than we thought," Abby mused.

"Yeah…I guess we do."

There was a pause, the realization sinking in.

"You know, I didn't expect to share my life story with you on a shopping trip," she giggled. "Especially not sitting here on the curb."

They both laughed at the thought, chuckling at the strange turn of events.

Never did Callie imagine forming a connection with the hazel-eyed ballerina, especially with her being the girlfriend to the one whom she deeply loved. Sure, the unpleasantness of them being together was definitely still there, refusing to fade away and something she could never accept. But as an individual, she saw her differently and understood her on a level that went beyond the surface, the initial hatred receding and empathy gradually taking its place. And if there was anything more true about Callie Jacobs Foster, she was compassionate, especially when it came to those feeling unwanted and unloved.

Slowly standing up, Callie held out her hand to her. "Let's go find dresses for your Gala Night, yeah?"

Smiling, Abby reached up and took it. "Sounds good to me."

** …**

Shopping was never a favorite pastime for Callie. Rather, it was something she tried to avoid, for her sake and those around her.

While most girls relished in the search for finding trendy items, she preferred to lag behind. It always seemed like a lot of work, tediously taking off and fitting back on piles and piles of clothes…and most of the time she ended up leaving empty-handed anyway, much to the annoyance of sales associates who tended to her didn't take long for Abby to find a dress to wear, which was a rose-colored, sleeveless beaded gown with golden embroidery detailing along the fitted bodice and sequined chiffon train. It complemented her olive skin tone nicely and enhanced her eyes, as exclaimed by a cheerful sales associate and Mariana.

Caught in the dilemma between choosing two dresses, Mariana ultimately decided on a classy, silk navy blue gown that gathered at the waist, creating a cascade of ruffles down the open slit along the length of the skirt. She discarded her second option of a pink dress, declaring that it was time to try something different for a change.

And so here was Callie, empty-handed and blankly staring upon the rows and rows of dresses in angst, as she sat on a plush red loveseat in the vast dressing room. She had no idea where to begin, and she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed once again.

"Seriously, Callie?"

She looked up to see the disapproving eyes of Mariana standing beside her, arms crossed and smirking.

"What?" Callie shrugged. "I've never been into dress shopping…or shopping at all, really. Remember your quince?"

Her sister nodded, chuckling. "Yeah, I remember all too well. Even shopping with you for your prom dress was painful." She grabbed ahold of Callie's arm – despite her protests – and dragged her to a rack. "Let's at least get you started, okay?"

Callie grumbled something incoherent under her breath, crossing her arms as Mariana dragged her around, holding up dress after dress against her but still received a look of disapproval with every attempt. Abby soon swooped in to join the mission, determination crossing her features as she bustled around the boutique in search of a suitable dress.

"Ooh, this dress seems nice! I have a good feeling about this one!" she exclaimed, returning with a cream-colored gown. "And I'm sure Hunter will love it."

_Oh, yeah. Hunter._ Callie felt heat rise in her cheeks, as she ducked her head down into a rack of black evening gowns. She almost forgot how frequently she and the attractive musician had been texting each other…and that he actually asked her to be his date for the Gala Night.

To be honest, she wasn't quite sure why she didn't give him a straightforward answer yet. Every time he brought it up, she would dodge the subject and he would call her a tease by doing so. It was fun talking to him, and she thoroughly enjoyed his company…but she had a feeling that a certain blue-eyed reason was what held her back.

"Hunter? Who's Hunter?" Mariana questioned, confused.

The smile on Abby's face widened, as she nudged the older Foster sister playfully on the arm. "Just a really good friend of mine…and apparently one of Callie's, too," she winked. "Every time I go to the studio he keeps asking about you, wondering if you ever talk about him."

"Umm, I'm just going to go try on this dress now, okay?" Callie grumbled in embarrassment, lifting it from Abby's arms. She sidestepped Mariana, whose squeals of excitement and teasing followed her as she dodged into a dressing room.

Although in a more agreeable mood now than prior to her talk with Abby, she was definitely not in the right disposition to deal with her sister's tireless onslaught of joking over this guy she just met.

Begrudgingly tugging off her clothes and slipping on the dress, she eyed the mirror as she zipped it up easily from the back. She had to admit, it really was a gorgeous dress. With a strapless, sweetheart neckline that enhanced her cleavage nicely, the gathered bodice tied with a silken ribbon around the waist, leading to the tiers of delicate lace that led down the skirt. The cream-colored gown ventured a bit on the long side, but with a good pair of heels, the problem should be easily fixed.

_Thank you, Abby,_ she sighed in relief.

The dancer's good eye definitely saved her the time from having to search through those endless dress racks herself. God knows how long it would take her to find anything remotely pleasing to try on.

"Are you done yet?" Callie heard her sister call out impatiently. "Hurry up! I want to see how it looks!"

"Okay, okay," she muttered, irritated. She pushed aside the velvet curtain, arms crossed. "What do you think?"

The expressions of astonishment and gasps of surprise answered her question, as her shopping confidants approached closer.

"You look absolutely gorgeous!" Mariana exclaimed, grabbing her hand and spinning her around to gain a better angle. Callie groaned, using her spare hand to lift the lengthy lace end of the dress to avoid tripping on herself.

Abby clapped her hands together in approval, beaming. "I love it! What do you think, Brandon?" she asked.

Callie's face paled, and she suddenly felt herself clam up in self-consciousness. He must have arrived while she was changing in the dressing room. If she knew that he was there prior to stepping out, she would have refused to pull back the curtain and yelled out some poor excuse that rendered her unable to model the gown.

But now she didn't have a choice; everyone's eyes were on her, waiting. Biting her lip, she slowly turned towards the presence of the blue-eyed gaze that never failed to give her shivers…especially with the way he was looking at her now.

Those cerulean windows expressed absolute awe, taking her in with a stunned silence that only indicated his absolute admiration. He found himself caught in a reverie, his mind completely blank. Despite the evident scowl tugging on her lips, bare face, and hair messily falling down her shoulders, she looked stunning in the off-white dress…and he couldn't even fathom how much more beautiful she would look once properly prepared for the formal event.

"Wow," Brandon breathed. "I-I don't know what to say…"

"You don't have to say anything," Abby grinned. "We'll save it for Hunter, right, Callie?"

The look of astonishment in his eyes vanished and was replaced with confusion.

"Wait- Hunter? Why him?" he questioned. He raised an eyebrow, shooting his girlfriend a quizzical look.

"Hunter is Callie's date!" Mariana quipped nonchalantly. As per usual, her attention was focused on her cellphone, deft fingers texting away in the midst of the situation.

Brandon narrowed his gaze at Callie, the confusion now exchanged with seriousness and irritation. His jaw was set, lips pulled into a frown of blatant disapproval.

"Is that true?" he asked, a hint of spitefulness in his tone. "That he's your _date_?"

Once again, everyone's eyes shifted towards her, anticipating her response.

Ignoring the bitterness in his stare, Callie stood her ground, shooting him a look of defiance in return. How dare he look at her like that, angry with her as if he owned her? She had every right to see whomever she pleased, and he had no damn say in it. Forget about that enticing azure stare – it was about time she proved that she could break free from it and stand on her own.

It was time to take control, to prove that she was no longer going to wait around on this broken ride that was taking her nowhere.

"Yeah," Callie answered boldly, keeping her voice firm. "He is my date."

* * *

**As you can tell, not a lot of Brallie was in this until the end. This was more of a filler chapter that reveals Abby's background that I felt was necessary to disclose, as well as something a bit lighter compared to the drama of previous chapters. I aim to create Abby like an actual character on the show, giving her a life story and depth, and I hope that you guys understand that. Believe me, there will be _plenty_ of Brallie from here on out, so no worries ;) especially now with another party involved in their complicated mess haha. If any of you are interested in seeing the inspiration for the girls' dresses, send me a PM and I'll message you the links to the pictures.**

**As always, feedback is wonderfully appreciated! Please review!**

**-J**


	7. The Gala Night

**A/N: Hello, my readers! Once again, thanks for the wonderful reviews! If you guys haven't noticed yet, a big part of my writing style is narrative description, as shown here in this chapter. This is **_**the **__**longest**_** chapter in the story, and **_**my **__**absolute favorite **_**to write! I love creating attention to detail and imagery for readers to imagine the scenes playing out like a movie, so that you guys can envision what I see as I take you into this world, afar from just a story. I hope you guys appreciate this :) So happy reading, and enjoy!**

* * *

Biting her lip, Callie eyed the front of the country club anxiously. She skimmed over its stunning architecture of columns and balconies, with plentiful garlands and other holiday décor wrapped around its structures. Spotlights were methodically placed to emphasize its gorgeous design, capturing the structure in a golden light in the midst of the evening.

The passenger door opened, and a hand reached out to her. She took it, a shy smile on her lips.

"Relax. You look absolutely gorgeous."

Stepping carefully onto the pavement and holding the lacy end of the dress with her spare hand, she straightened her posture and took in the scene with awe.

The neat trimming of shapely hedges and flamboyant displays of flowering garden beds decorated the landscape, swooping upwards on a slight hill that centered on a sizeable marble fountain, which gushed streaming water over automatic changing lights.

"It's so beautiful," she breathed.

With a twinkling in his green eyes, Hunter softly kissed the top of her hand. "Just like you," he murmured.

Blushing, she nudged him playfully and smirked.

"Such a kiss-up, aren't you?"

"What kind of date would I be if I weren't?" he teased. "And anyways, I'm speaking the truth."

Tossing his car keys to the attending valet with a smile and nod, he led her down the marble pathway.

"So, do you always attend events like this?" she asked. It was fascinating, absorbing the extravagance of it all.

Hunter shrugged. "With Cathy, events like this are essential and almost always mandatory to attend." Noticing the confused look on Callie's face, he added, "Cathy is Abby's aunt. She prefers to be called that because it makes her feel young…but just don't tell her that I told you that. God knows what she will do to me if she were to find out."

She nodded, chuckling.

"I feel like a celebrity attending this," she mused.

"Don't be surprised to see several. Cathy has her connections."

As they neared the ornate, cherry wood front doors, the commotion of voices grew louder with every marble step they took, increasing the knots in her stomach to twist and turn agitatedly.

"I wonder if my family is here yet," Callie pondered aloud. The thought of seeing their familiar faces in this foreign environment brought her a slight sense of comfort…and a particular face she looked forward to seeing more so than the rest.  
_  
Stop it, Callie. You're on a date with another guy. You shouldn't be excited to see your ex…this should be about you moving on with someone else. Not pining after him._

"Good luck finding them," Hunter replied, amused.

Before she could comment any further, a server swung open the door, unleashing the pandemonium of noise that was muffled a moment earlier, causing her to cringe. A sea of well-dressed men and women flooded the lobby; their incessant chatter swelling as more attendees flooded in and out of the hall.

Unsurprisingly, the inside of the country club was extravagantly luxurious, with its grand staircase, glossy marble tiled floor, elaborate paintings that hung across the walls, and crystal chandeliers dangling from the ceiling. And not to mention the massive, overly decorated Christmas tree placed in the center of the lobby, towering in its stature and serving as an obstacle for the attendees to surpass.

Callie scanned the crowd, attempting the impossible feat of finding any of her family members. Hunter held on to her hand tighter as he led them through the throng, cautiously maneuvering through until they reached the grand ballroom.

Once again, she was fascinated upon taking in the scene, dropping her hand from his to cover her mouth.

A striking chandelier hung in the center of the extravagance, its numerous crystals casting prisms of light and color across the sculpted ceiling and painted embellishments. Large windows, which scaled from the floor to ceiling, were draped with velvet burgundy curtains and gold trimmings, trailing down in cascades of lavish texture. Servers, dressed entirely in white (with coattails and pants to match), sauntered throughout the ballroom with trays balanced upon their hands, offering a variety of colorful cocktails to choose from; and several others were distributing flukes of champagne and carrying bottles of wine to pour into one's glass.

Callie breathed a sigh of relief. The ballroom, although still bursting with partygoers, was far less crowded, and was actually bearable to walk through without the fear of being trampled on by the oncoming masses.

As she skimmed through the reduced mob, her eyes fell upon the blue-eyed gent that she had been secretly yearning to see all night. She caught her breath, eyes widening.

Not much to her surprise, and yet ironically startling her altogether, Brandon looked undeniably striking. Dark hair neatly slicked back and a freshly shaved face, he smoldered in his crisp tuxedo and rose-colored bowtie. On several occasions she had seen him dress formally, each time progressing more in attractiveness than the last as he aged, but this instance skyrocketed any such gradual progression.

Fixating on him longer than realizing it, Callie was brought back to reality with his sudden presence approaching her. The nervous knots in her stomach returned, as her palms began to sweat.

"Hey," Brandon smiled. His eyes intensely stared at her, seeming to take in her appearance with as much admiration as she did with his. "You look beautiful."

The simple compliment made her heart skip a beat.

"Hello," she breathed. "And you look…wow."

She felt her face redden. _Seriously, Callie? 'Wow'?_ _That's the best you have to say?_

He offered her that signature side smile of his that melted her insides to putty.

"It's awesome to see you, man," Hunter grinned, shaking his hand. "You look great."

_Oh._ Callie glanced at the man next to her. Caught in the trance of the blue-eyed wonder, she almost forgot her date was even there.

Brandon nodded curtly, his smile fading as slight aversion crossing his face. "Likewise."

Tension exuded from his side, but Hunter remained oblivious, smiling warmly at him and nodding at passerby.

Collecting herself, Callie cleared her throat. "Where is everyone? Our family, I mean?"

He motioned across the ballroom, towards their table. "There they are," he answered.

Indeed, Lena's head of signature curly hair and the shine of Mariana's silken navy gown underneath the warm lighting indicated their presence. From a distance, they seemed to be caught up in bouts of laughter – probably over something Jesus said or did.

"So…where's the Golden Girl?" Hunter asked jokingly.

The nickname instantly caught Callie's attention, the familiarity of it causing her to flash her gaze back to Brandon. Surprisingly, he seemed unaffected by the moniker, which he must have grown accustomed to hearing in reference not just to himself, but also to his significant other.

"She's talking to some of Cathy's friends," he responded. "Some composers from L.A." He shifted on the weight of his feet, looking away absently. "Which reminds me, she wanted to introduce me to them."

He took a step closer, giving Hunter another shake of the hand. "I'll see you two around," he added, leaning over to give a kiss on Callie's cheek. The brushing of his lips, as chaste as it seemed, tenderly loitered, and involuntarily sent shivers down her spine. She closed her eyes before she could stop herself, relishing in the soft feel of them against her skin.

"Enjoy the rest of your evening," Brandon nodded, his gaze lingering on Callie.

And with that, he strode away from the pair, making his way back to his girlfriend.

Watching him approach Abby, who dazzled in her rose-colored gown and golden heels, brought a heavy lump to Callie's throat. The dancer's dark hair was curled and delicately pulled back into a chignon, baring her delicate shoulders, upon which Brandon gave a light kiss. They laughed, and he linked his arm around her waist as he spoke to the composers with ease.

"They look good together," Hunter murmured, catching the point of her stare.

It was hard to deny. They looked like they both stepped out of a magazine, with picture-ready smiles and radiance as they modeled in their formal attire. And they looked happy…so damn happy it made Callie cringe in her own pitiful pool of discontent.

_The Golden Couple_, she thought sadly to herself.

Both of them were role models, each exceptionally talented and possessing a bright future ahead in their careers, taking them places that will far exceed their dreams. Both were placed on high pedestals, great expectations placed on their shoulders by everyone around them…not to mention that both were incredibly kind and charming to whomever they met. And underneath the immense pressure of it all, they held each other for support and understanding.

An empathy that Callie never had, a place that she never ventured to, a future she never hoped for…so what did she have left to offer Brandon, when this girl could offer him everything? How could she even compete?

The heavy realization struck her hard, causing her to blink back the tears that fought to spring up. _How come I never realized this before?_

She looked away, forcing a smile.

"Yeah…I guess," Callie shrugged, attempting indifference.

_Damn, does this hurt…I need to stop thinking about this. I can't let this ruin my night when it just began._

A server passed by, holding a signature tray of cocktails galore. She suddenly stopped him, sweeping a martini off the platter with a smile and nod. Tilting her head back, she swiftly gulped down the drink in a smooth motion, wincing slightly as the fluid burned down her throat. She set the empty glass on another passing server's tray.

"Umm…are you okay?"

She looked at Hunter, whose concern was undeniable in his green eyes. She began to feel the familiar warmth settle in the bottom of her stomach, as the effects of the martini began to take place. She felt herself loosen up a bit, and she flashed him a smile.

"I'm great," she responded. "Just needed a drink, that's all."

Callie reached over and took his hand, leading him away. "Let's go sit with my family. They seem to be waiting for us."

Unbeknownst to her, Brandon had been shifting brief glances at her the whole time, in between snippets of his ongoing conversation with Abby and her guests. He watched with concern as she downed the martini, tensed when she held Hunter's hand, and grimaced as she introduced him to their family.

He secretly longed to be the one holding her hand, laughing with her as he sat at the table with their moms and siblings.

But he couldn't.

Here he was, speaking with these incredibly talented composers, discussing an internship opportunity that could help set his career, as he held his girlfriend around her waist.

No…this was the here and now, paving the way to his future. He couldn't run back to the past, no matter how much a part of himself wanted to.

**...**

After Abby assisted in the introductions made around the Foster table to Cathy – whose bubbly and somewhat flighty personality never failed to intrigue those she met – they all engaged in conversation over the evening's exciting agenda. Shortly afterwards, Cathy excused herself from their table, expressing her thanks in their acceptance of Abby before flitting off to greet incoming guests.

Apologizing that they were seated a few tables away – assigned to dine with several choreographers and composers that Cathy set them up to meet – Brandon and Abby left hand-in-hand, causing Callie to weakly smile and avert her attention to Hunter.

Following a hearty three-course dinner and a program of entertainment filled with performances of talent from Cathy's studio (including other studios in connection with hers), the long-awaited presentation from Abby's contemporary dance troupe, _Art In Motion_, was finally announced, along with a surprise solo piece from the lead ballerina to follow.

It was the first time Callie ever experienced viewing such a line-up of incredible talent – school talent shows didn't exactly count in her book – and _Art In Motion_ was beyond exceptional.

After downing another martini – much to Hunter's growing concern – Callie began to feel dizzy…but at least the tension from earlier was gone. She even felt elated, whispering her excitement to see the final performances into his ear.

It was amazing to watch as Abby and her company, newly changed into their costumes of sultry red mini halter-dresses for the women and white button-down shirts, black pants, and ties for the men, alternated between the genres of modern, jazz, and ballet. Their song mix began with the beautiful, orchestral composition of One Republic's song, "Secrets", interpreted by the dancers through fluid movements, leaps, and daring lifts in the air. Then the music transitioned to the bold, jazzy undertones of the chorus in "Come Round Soon" by Sara Bareilles, fused with sensual dance moves, and fluidly ending with the soothing song "Gravity" by the same artist, coupled with the grace of ballet as each dancer glided into their ending poses.

But it was Abby's solo that took truly Callie's breath away. Dancing to the song "Beautiful Life" by Charlotte Martin, the solemnity of the mood fell upon the ballroom as they were enveloped in darkness, lit only by the single spotlight that centered on the ballerina.

Changed from the bold, daring red halter dress from the previous number to a soft, one-shouldered powder blue tutu that flowed to her knees, Abby raised her arms and turned her feet, which were wrapped in matching silken pointe shoes, into the signature commencement pose. She closed her eyes and she took a deep breath, a facade of focus settling upon her. The music began, the reminiscent melody of the piano sweeping her into movement that glided her across the floor.

_"You can't judge the love by the lover,_

_The sky by its thunder,_

_The road with no sign._

_You can't make the snow fall in summer,_

_Or make him not want her._

_Not leave it behind._

_Maybe you'll stay in touch, years down the road._

_And hope that he's still in your mind."_

Abby gracefully leaped across the air, her form precise and agile. Landing lightly on her toes, she swept into an elegant pirouette, the tulle of her costume spinning into a flurry of powder blue.

Twirling and sliding smoothly throughout the floor, extending her legs incredibly high, and controlling her movements effortlessly with every pose and motion, the agile nature in the ballerina's pointe technique and choreography displayed the proficient skills that developed through her many years of training.

"_Maybe we'll meet up in Denver_

_Talk about weather_

_Talk of old times_

_I know every word that we said_

_Was what we both meant_

_Well we meant it at the time."_

Mesmerized by the beauty of the unfolding performance – as shared by the hushed audience – Callie was also struck by the words of the song, listening closely to the profound lyrics as a sadness swept over her.

"_Promise me that you'll be standing up straight_

_Chasing rivers, and shadows, and time._

_The sun may come up and go down again_

_And I'll still swear it's a beautiful life."_

Moving to rhythm of the refrain, Abby used her entire body as an instrument to convey the tragic story behind the lyrics: the discovery of newfound strength in the pain of vulnerability, the renewal of one's faith in themselves in the midst of mourning, and believing in change for a better tomorrow.

With the performance reaching out to her on multiple levels, Callie felt her eyes brim with tears, which she allowed to flow freely down her cheeks. This was one of the few times she felt unashamed to cry, willing to accept the tears with open arms and admission…with her intake of alcohol definitely posing as an influence.

"_Time flies, time cries._

_Oh, time flies, time cries._

_So swim to the end of the river_

_Until there's no shiver_

_Left in your spine._

_Live like there won't be tomorrow._

_See through your sorrow._

_See through your own eyes."_

Flitting her eyes briefly to Brandon, Callie watched his blue eyes shimmer in utter adoration as he closely watched his girlfriend dance, captivated by the sheer beauty of both the performance and her. He was completely infatuated with her, enchanted by the graceful essence and energy she evoked both on stage and off.

Jealousy simmered within Callie, resurfacing the burning insecurities from earlier. From what she recalled, Brandon never looked at her like that, with such pride and admiration. Negative thoughts of criticism flooded her mind, gnawing at her.

"_Try to remember these days down the road and_

_Try to remember this time._

_The sun may come up and go down again_

_I'll still swear it's a beautiful life."_

Arms extended upright and en pointe, Abigail glided into her final position and the music faded to a finish.

The ballroom erupted with applause, everyone giving a standing ovation as the lighting returned. Loud cheers emitted across the crowd as Abby gave a curtsey, smiling brightly and sweeping her arm into a wave of thanks underneath the spotlight.

Brandon loudly applauded, the pride in his eyes evident as he shouted praise.

Albeit less boisterous, Callie joined in the clapping, smiling sadly as she watched him with sorrow.

Before, the issue was how much she hated them being together because of her own selfish, unresolved feelings. But now…it hurt her to realize how much Brandon and Abby belonged together, deserving each other. She was the one at fault, the one who was undeserving, the one who had so little to give when he had so much to offer…and she couldn't do that to him, ruin his happiness again like how she did before.

Callie closed her eyes, sighing.

He deserved to be happy…and she had her chance but ruined it.

Once everyone settled back into his or her seats, Cathy took the microphone to announce that the program was over and that the dance floor was now open. Lights dimming and music blasting on the speakers as people stood up again, the party began to actually start.

Standing up and grinning, Hunter offered his hand for her to take. "Would you like to dance?"

Smiling weakly, Callie slowly stood up. Her composure was wavering, and she didn't know how much longer she could keep pretending before she burst.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I would love to…but I just can't."

She turned around, quickly walking away and trying her best not to look back.

** …**

Dancing to what must have been the fourth or fifth song and counting, Brandon heavily sighed.

"Abby, can we sit? You know that I'm not as energetic as you when it comes to dancing…or skilled, for that matter."

Laughing, Abby shook her head. "Come on, Brandon! What matters is that we're having fun." With her hands linked around his neck, she rested her head against his chest. "Besides, this is a slow song. All you have to do is sway in place."

"Fine," he huffed jokingly. "I guess I can handle another song."

With his hands along her waist, he rubbed circles along the material of her embroidered gown. He closed his eyes, breathing in her scent of vanilla and coconut...which somewhat reminded him of a shampoo Callie used before, a fragrance he would sniff as he held her in his arms as they laid on his bed.

Brandon grimaced at the memory. Intimately dancing with his girlfriend was definitely not a good time to reminisce about his ex.

Besides, this ex of his was surely enjoying her time with…her date. Her decision to go out with the guy amidst his disapproval was disconcerting, to say the least. The mere thought of that chaos of blonde hair and green eyes peeved him, as he found himself grumbling in annoyance.

_Stop…she isn't yours anymore, _his conscience scolded him. _She deserves to be happy. She doesn't need your approval, so stay out of it. _

Pushing aside the distress that clouded his thoughts, he instead attempted to fill his mind with memories of the evening, remembering Abby's mesmerizing performance."Have I ever told you how much I love that little red dress on you?" Brandon murmured into Abby's ear. She giggled, shoving him playfully on the chest.

"Mmm…you've shown me a couple of times, especially with it off," she whispered, pressing herself closer against him. She started to rake her fingers through the hair on the nape of his neck, eliciting a quiet growl from him.

She tiptoed, leaning into his ear. "Spend the night with me, and I'll show it to you again."

He tilted back, confused. "Abby…you know how my moms are. They wouldn't just allow me to spend the night with you."

"That's why you say that you're sleeping over at somebody's house…like Hunter's," Abby shrugged. "Come on, I hate waking up to an empty bed every morning. I miss always being next to you, like back in New York." She slid her hands down his chest, giving him a pleading look. "It gets so lonely."

"I'll see," Brandon sighed. "It's not like I don't want to, I'd love that. I'm just not sure because…" he hesitated. He knew that the underlying reason was that he wanted to make sure that a certain someone was brought back home safe, something he wouldn't admit. "The moms might need me. You know, to drive them all home since they've been drinking."

"But you can drop them off home then come over…?"

"I don't know, Abby. Maybe I also had a few too many glasses of champagne on me and just need sleep…I doubt I can stay up with you," he replied. "Besides, I don't want to involve Hunter in a lie without his consent. I don't even…know the guy well enough to use him as an excuse."

She nuzzled his neck, playing with his hair again. "I can do all the work tonight…you know I don't mind," she whispered. "And I'm sure Hunter would be fine with it, since you're okay with him dating your sister."

Her words set him off, and before he could stop himself, he snarled in response.

"I never said that I'm okay with that! I didn't have a choice!"

Startled with his sudden outburst, Abby released her grasp around his neck, hands now against his chest.

"Whoa, Brandon," she gaped at him, puzzled. "I…didn't know that you felt that way. I just assumed that you were okay with it since you didn't say anything at the bonfire and back at the dress shop."

"That's right, you assumed. You never asked me how I felt about it, and neither did they," he scowled.

Her hazel eyes widened, hurt widespread on her fragile demeanor. She took a small step back, as she wrung her wrists in dismay.

Guilt struck him upon seeing her shrink back, causing her such pain with his lack of control and temper. He hated seeing her hurt like this, especially when he was the reason. He pulled her gently back into his arms, hugging her to his chest.

"I'm sorry for lashing out at you like that, okay?" Brandon murmured. "I'm just…upset. But it's not your fault that you didn't know."

She nodded in silence, biting her lip.

After giving her another comforting squeeze in his embrace, he slowly released her.

Running a hand through his slicked-back hair, he sighed. "I need some air," he mumbled. "I'll be right back."

He kissed her, giving her a faint smile before walking away.

For the second time, Abigail was left speechless, watching her boyfriend leave her behind shortly after he somewhat dismissed her advances and lashed out at her. Except this time, it was here…in the middle of the dance floor, on a night that was supposed to be especially fun and special.

She grabbed a martini off of a passing server's tray while ambling back to her seat, swiftly gulping it down before reaching for another. Allowing the alcohol to take its effect, she sighed, resting her head against the golden crest rail of her chair as she waited for his return.

** …**

Sniffling softly to herself, Callie wiped away the tears from her eyes as she leaned against the cold metal of the park bench. The alcohol's former euphoric effect on her clearly weaned off and now left her emotionally vulnerable, shivering in the cold as she cried in the garden.

_"I don't live in this magical world where everything always works out."_

She flinched at the remembrance of her own words spoken years ago, causing her to cry harder.

She hated this. Crying. She hated feeling so weak, revealing her emotions out on display for others to see her at her worst.

Staring up at the moon, which was now blanketed by a small passing cloud, Callie grabbed a hold of herself, sighing heavily as she pondered how much time had passed since she ran outside.

The sound of water gushing from a nearby birdbath and the laughter of socialites sitting on one of the outdoor balconies were the only indications that she wasn't as alone as she thought in the garden.

_Ugh…so much for having a fun time. Of course this night would end with me in tears._

"You know…if you didn't want to dance with me, all you had to say was no."

She averted her gaze to the grass, refusing to look up.

_Damn. I knew I should have actually left this place than just settling here…_

Hunter sat next to her, leaning forward as he rested his elbows on his knees. "I mean, I'm not the greatest dancer out there, but I don't think I'm _that _embarrassing to run from," he joked. "I think I have some pretty impressive moves, if I do say so myself."

Incredible, how even when she was in tears, Hunter still had the audacity to crack jokes…and she couldn't help but smile. She was startled to feel his hand reach over and lightly touch her cheek, wiping away her tears.

"There you go," he murmured. "There's that beautiful smile."

Callie turned her face away, trying to hide the widening of her grin. The sweetness of the simple gesture moved her, especially in this state of vulnerability.

"Now, all joking aside, I'm pretty sure that you ran out for a good reason, not just to get away from me," he paused. "Unless…that's how you really feel, then I'm sorry for that. I'll be on my way now if that's the case." His face was completely serious, despite the humorous words.

"No, no, you aren't the reason at all," she laughed. His poking fun at himself – even when he wasn't trying – was endearing and actually made her feel slightly better. "It's just…" she trailed off, unsure of herself.

There was a long pause, as she contemplated what to say.

"If you don't mind me asking…what is it?"

She bit her lip. The familiar feeling of her walls being drawn up weighed her down, threatening her to stay silent. They were bordering dangerous territory, skirting sensitive topics that required her to reveal emotions and trust in this confidant…and with Callie, such unveiling and trust was especially rare.

But while looking at Hunter, something told her that this was right, to take this leap of faith to trust in this stranger, when all of her life she guarded herself against everyone else that tried to come in. He didn't seem like everyone else…he actually ran after her when she walked out on him, caring for her when she least deserved it, even when he barely knew a thing about her…and that sounded so familiar it made her wince.

The last time someone cared to run after her when she left- Callie stopped herself.

_No. This isn't about him anymore. This is me, starting over new._

She drew a deep breath, slowly breaking down the walls that defined her.

"Have you ever felt like…you're just not good enough?" she whispered. "That you are just undeserving to be in someone else's life, who seems to be better off without you?"

She glanced at Hunter, whose attentive gaze prompted her to continue.

"That you have made so many mistakes in the past, messed things up so beyond repair, that you have rendered yourself a burden? A heavy weight that just drags someone back into their own problems, affecting their chance at happiness and a better future?"

She paused. "Because that's it. That's me, the burden that ruins anything good that comes my way, a flight risk to anyone who bothers to come near or cares. And why the hell should I ruin his future, when all I'm capable of is ruining things in the long run? Especially when someone else can give him so much more?"

Silence filled the empty garden. She waited nervously, sighing.

_Maybe this was a bad idea after all._

"Stop."

Startled, she stared at Hunter in bewilderment. "What?" That was definitely not the response she was expecting after putting her heart out on the line, a single word of command.

He shifted in his seat to completely face her, his normally joking demeanor reflecting complete seriousness, as he went on.

"I don't know who made you feel this way, hurting you like this to cause you to look down on yourself…but he's an idiot." His voice softened, lowering as he looked at her. "Callie, I know that we just met a few days ago and we barely know anything about each other…so go ahead and call me insane or cheesy…but I'm already amazed by you."

It was his turn to pause.

"You may have a broken past and made mistakes, but that doesn't define who you are. When I look at you, I don't see someone who is damaged. I see a girl who is so much wiser, so much older than what she appears to be, having so much to offer," he murmured. "You may not have worldly accomplishments, like awards or trophies, but I can read in your eyes that you have so much compassion and care for others around you…even people you just met."

He touched her hand, smiling gently. "So please, don't talk about yourself like you're nothing, because you are so much more than that. If that guy makes you feel like you aren't as important as you deserve, then it's his loss…because any guy would be lucky to have you in his life," Hunter whispered.

Callie was at a complete loss for words.

She didn't know what to say, had no idea what to think, and wasn't sure what to feel.

This guy, someone whom she met just a few days ago…felt this way? He actually saw her like this?

It had been such a long time she ever felt appreciated like this…actually feeling wanted, without fear or guilt holding her back. Without having to be afraid of getting caught, or especially knowing that he belonged to someone else.

It was new, strange…and even scary.

So throwing aside any worries or doubts, she impulsively did the one thing she felt was right.

With a hand cupping his cheek and the other tugging at the lapel of his tuxedo jacket, she pressed her lips against his, kissing him with an intensity that she didn't know was possible.

It didn't take long for him to comprehend what was happening, as Hunter's briefly frozen lips moved with hers. His hands encircled her waist, pulling her closer to him as the kiss intensified.

And in the shadows of a nearby cluster of oak trees, Brandon watched.

He turned away, squeezing his eyes shut as if trying to erase the images from his mind. Instead, flashbacks of his first kiss with Callie at the wedding seared in his memories, painfully reminding him of how he was in that exact place, kissing her with such passion and holding her tight against him.

Jaw set and fists clenched, he fought the urge to run out and punch Hunter straight in the mouth. He wanted to shout at them, tear Callie away from him and pull her into his arms, holding her so possessively and never letting go.

But he couldn't do that to her. He couldn't humiliate her like that and ruin her chance at happiness. As much as he loathed the guy, he knew that everything Hunter said was true…that he was an idiot and doesn't deserve her. Especially not after making her feel this way about herself…which stung him horribly.

_How could you ever think again that you're not good enough? How many times have I told you that you are, and so much more? I don't care about the past…and I've already forgiven you for your mistakes._

Just the thought of her even thinking the absurdity added to his already mounting anger, and he knew that in any minute he would lose control.

So he did the one thing he knew was right, even when it killed him inside.

He walked away, fighting back angry tears and gripping his heavy heart.

* * *

**Oh, dear. How I torment myself by writing this… *sigh* Again, this is **_**the longest chapter**_ **in the whole story, and so far my favorite to write. I really hope you guys liked it as much as I loved writing it! :) and I'm ****ecstatic that you guys read it all, up to this point! Cookies for everyone! **

**Side note: Abby's song, "Beautiful Life" by Charlotte Martin, is so amazing. I highly recommend you guys to give it a listen. It seriously brought me to tears. The piano is just so beautiful, and the lyrics (as posted here) are touching.**

**So please, tell me what you guys think and feel by leaving a review! Reviews are wonderful!**

**-J**


	8. The Burn

**A/N: Hello, my lovelies! Thank you all so much for the great reviews and feedback! You guys seriously make me happy and motivate me to keep on writing, and I'm so honored that you all enjoy my writing style. I'm proud to announce that I am in the process of brainstorming for a novel that I hope to get published one day :) oh, and I just wanted to give a shoutout to hadleyandbrandon for being so awesome and that you guys should check out her story, "The Wrong Choice." It's great and full of juicy drama ;) So I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!** **It was an absolute thrill to write, and I'm excited to hear what you guys have to say about it. Cheers!**

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"So…do you like him?"

Stirring her coffee leisurely, Callie veered her gaze to a painting on the wall, avoiding eye contact. The chatter of customers in surrounding tables of the cozy coffee shop was the only prevention of the silence that would have been inevitable, easing the awkwardness she was feeling.

After a pause, she sighed. "Yeah, I actually do. But it just feels…weird."

"Weird, because?"

"It's different, I guess. Maybe because I don't have to feel afraid of consequences or getting caught when we're together. And we have the freedom to actually show we're into each other. It's…easy."

"I would think you would feel less weird about that difference," Tracy smirked. "He's not the first guy you've been with since Brandon left. Remember Ethan? And Brad?"

Callie rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her coffee. "You know just as well as I do that those were just meaningless flings. Things that happened in the moment and would never go beyond that."

Running a finger over the rim of the cup, she bit her lip. "Besides, Hunter isn't like that. He wants more…an actual relationship."

Tracy nodded, sipping her own coffee before setting down the cup. "But at this point, isn't this when you just drop it and hit the ground running?"

The Foster girl picked at her scone, hesitating. "That's the thing though…" She slowly crumbled it to pieces and removed the blueberries. She stopped, looking at her friend in the eye. "I could actually see it happening. A relationship with him, I mean."

Tracy looked like she was going to spit out her coffee as her eyes widened. "Callie…a-are you sure about this?"

She nodded. "Underneath the teasing, he's really sensitive and sweet. Makes sure I'm comfortable, shows that he cares. Everything that makes him good boyfriend material…and like I said, no consequences or fear involved when we're together." She paused, biting her lip. "And…he actually kinda reminds me of Brandon. More light-hearted, but similar. He's the only other guy aside from him I could see myself with."

Her friend heaved a heavy sigh. "Which is more of a reason why you're going for him…reminds you of the ex you're trying to forget."

"Why are you so against this? You're the one who tried to help me get distracted back when Brandon left, even introducing me to those other guys. And this time around, this guy is actually a keeper."

Tracy shook her head, leaning back in her seat. "That's the thing, Callie. Those were just _flings. _Now this," she made a circling motion with her hands, "goes beyond that. This is an actual relationship we're talking about, with a really nice guy who cares a lot about you."

She stopped for a moment, allowing her words to sink in and take effect.

Her voice lowered. "So unless you're willing to completely drop these feelings you have for Brandon and really let go, you should stop this before it's too late. This isn't right, you know, using Hunter as a rebound or to get your ex all jealous. Enough people are getting hurt…there's no need to add to the list."

Rubbing her eyes, Callie groaned in frustration. As much as she wanted to deny it, everything Tracy said was true. When it came down to the deep matter of things, she was always the one who wasn't afraid to be completely honest, even if it was upsetting. "I know that. I really don't want to hurt him."

"I know you don't," Tracy murmured. She leaned forward, touching Callie gently on the hand. "It's never the intention. And you said that you could actually see yourself in a relationship with him…but is that what you _really_ want? Because he clearly does, and you shouldn't break his heart by pretending."

** …**

Fumbling around for the keys in her purse while attempting to balance her coffee cup from spilling over, Callie slowly reached the front door. She noticed that the moms' car wasn't parked in its usual place on the driveway, but brushed the thought it aside.

_Must be date night. _

Shifting her key into its lock, she opened the door and stepped inside. The house was unusually quiet for this time of night. Normally, she would at least hear the sound of those video games Jesus loves to play or Mariana blasting music from their room.

"Anybody home?" she called out.

There was no response. It suddenly dawned on her that the other Foster siblings had their own arrangement of plans that slipped her mind. Jude was out with Conner, the twins at a senior social at the school, and the eldest undoubtedly with his girlfriend.

Kicking off her shoes by the doormat, she made her way to the stairs. A long bubble bath sounded really nice, especially after a grueling day at work and her intense conversation with Tracy over coffee. Taking advantage over this rare silence in the Foster house must be accomplished before the spell breaks.

But before she took a step up the stairs, a voice soon called out, "Here. In the kitchen."

Callie's eyes widened. _Brandon? What is he doing home?_

Ever since the Gala Night, there seemed to be an implicit mounting tension felt between them, a growing divide in distance as they barely saw or spoke to each other unless necessary. Well…it figures, since she and Hunter began to spend more time together, and everyone seemed to know about it. So this would technically be the first time they would really carry on a conversation without their typical surrounding family.

_Oh, stop. He must be with Abby._

She set her purse on the coffee table, tentatively ambling into the kitchen.

But instead of encountering the hazel-eyed stare she was expecting to meet, there was only the cerulean gaze that waited, its owner hunched over a cup of tea and sheet music. As soon as she entered, their eye contact was quickly cut off by him ducking his head to continue skimming over the papers.

_Great. We're alone. _She silently groaned to herself. _Just what we need right now._

"Hey," she said. No reply was made, but only a terse nod of acknowledgement was addressed with his eyes remaining downcast. He appeared to have taken a keen interest in his sheet music all of a sudden.

Slightly miffed, Callie crossed her arms. She sensed that something was definitely up. She slowly joined him at the island, seating herself directly across from him. Underneath the lighting, she watched as his muscles tensed once she took her seat, lips pressed into a firm line.

They remained in silence, neither speaking as if to daring each other on who would falter and give in.

Unable to contain her teeming curiosity, Callie cleared her throat. "What's wrong?"

Once again, no response. Only difference was a shrug of his broad shoulders rather than a nod.

"Okay…what happened?" she asked, genuinely concerned. "Come on, Brandon. Talk to me…I know something is wrong. You're only like this if something is really upsetting you."

Awakened from his bland stupor of vacancy, Brandon finally shifted his gaze up to her. The unmistakable dark bags underneath his tired eyes indicated his lack of sleep, and his normal slight mess of hair was now outright unruly, sticking up in every which way in incredible angles.

It was enough for Callie to gape at him, stunned. Now she was really worried. Not only did he look awfully fatigued, but something about the vacant look in his eyes indicated…brokenness.

"Abby and I got in a fight," he spoke quietly. He rubbed his eyes as if trying to wipe away the exhaustion. She waited for him to continue, but no other words were said on the comment.

_No wonder she isn't here with him._

"Well…" she trailed off, trying to choose her words carefully. "Every couple fights, and I'm sure you guys aren't an exception. What's different about this one to make it so bad?"

He stirred his cup of tea absentmindedly, blankly staring into space.

"She's just been distant lately…ever since the night of the Gala, and I have no idea why. I even spent the night with her, and she didn't seem as enthused when I did. The next morning, she wasn't her usual self," his brow furrowed in frustration, as he continued. "And more and more each day she just seems to grow further in distance. I tried talking to her about it, but she refuses to say anything. I finally snapped at her and she recoiled…and now she barely says a thing."

Running a hand through his already messed up hair, he exhaled a heavy breath, confusion crossing his features. "I just don't know."

Callie sighed. "Have you done anything to give her reason to be distant?"

"Not that I know of. Don't you think I wouldn't be like this if I knew?" he abruptly snapped.

She held up her hands in defense, shrugging. "Okay, okay, I was just making sure. No need to get all defensive on me for asking." She paused. "Because, just being completely honest here, a girl wouldn't just distance herself for no good reason. Something must have definitely set her off."

When she regained eye contact with Brandon, she noticed a sudden change in his stare…more pain, guilt, and anger, if that was even possible in his already troubled state.

"And what set you off?" he whispered.

It was Callie's turn to feel confused. "Excuse me?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

_What the hell. Since when was this about me?_

Brandon sighed, shaking his head. "Nevermind," he muttered, exasperated. He stood up, grabbing his cup of tea and tossing its contents into the sink. He turned on the faucet, proceeding to wash the mug and other dirty dishes to intentionally keep his back to her.

Irritated, Callie pushed back her chair and approached him. There was no way in hell she was going to just let this go. "What, Brandon? What did you mean by that?"

"Forget I said anything," he responded through gritted teeth. His muscles were tense once again, noticeable through the thin, fitted material of his shirt.

She noticed steam rising from the sink, an indication that the water was far too hot to be used and tolerated. Indeed, as he stacked the newly washed dishes to the side, she noticed his hands were red from the scalding water.

"The water is too hot," Callie said. "Use colder water before you burn yourself."

But he ignored her, continuing to scrub the dishes with even more vigor than before her comment. His skin continued to burn, but he accepted the searing pain. After everything that has been going on, the pain inflicted on everyone by him, he deserved to feel this…to feel something in the midst of this confusion.

"Brandon, stop."

He turned the faucet further, increasing the already high temperature to a practical boil and downpour over his scalded hands. A heavy blanket of vapor had settled over the area, curling and drifting down to the floor.  
_  
What the fuck is he doing?!_

"Are you listening to me? I said stop!"

He continued on, dishes clattering loudly as he tried to drown out her voice. He couldn't stand hearing her voice any longer…it tugged at his heart and reminded him of the terrible things she felt caused by him.

"Stop it, Brandon! Stop!" she shouted. Fighting back his shoves, she hastily grabbed the faucet and turned it off. His hands were shaking, raw and inflamed from the scorching water.

Callie hurriedly reached over again and twisted the other faucet for cold in complete rotation, instantly grabbing him by the wrists and shoving his hands underneath the running water. She continued to curse under her breath while he remained silent, only grumbling slightly as he winced at the temperature.

After allowing the cold water to soothe his burns, she shut off the valve and carefully wrapped his hands with a clean dishcloth. Retrieving the first aid kit in its designated place in the cabinet beneath the sink, she guided him back to the island and began to tend to his wounds, cringing at the sight of his blistered skin.

He closed his eyes, reveling in the feel of her touch…or at least the amount of touch he could sense from his damaged hands. The frayed nerves of his skin's surface stung terribly, but the coolness of her palms was as soothing as the sink's cold water, alleviating the throbbing discomfort.

_Oh, Callie,_ he sighed.

"What the hell were you thinking?" she muttered. She carefully applied ointment and wrapped his hands in the kit's cling film. He dropped his head in defeat, quiet and still.

"I'm so sorry," he finally whispered.

Stopping in the mid-appliance of his bandages, she looked up. He looked so broken she couldn't help but feel her previous anger wavering, replaced with mercy. This was so strange; Brandon being the one wounded while she was the one tending to his injuries…normally it was the other way around, both in literal and figurative pains. She was always the vulnerable one, hurting from her own mistakes while he was the one there to calm her, comforting her while she sulked. The sudden role reversal caught her off guard, tugging at her emotions incredibly.

"It's okay," she replied softly. "You just really scared the shit out of me, that's all."

"I deserve this," he murmured.

She stared, confused. "Brandon, what are you talking about?"

"This pain," he gestured to his hands. "I deserve it. All I do is cause others pain without even knowing it…hurting you to feel so spiteful about yourself, and then for whatever reason, I hurt Abby, causing her to shut herself off. What the hell is wrong with me?"

Callie froze. _Wait…what did he say? _"D-did you say, me? How did you…?" She dropped her hands from his, eyes widening.

Brandon froze as well. The realization of what just slipped from his mouth jarred him, as he gaped at her. With his mind still agitated from the fresh ordeal mixed with his lack of sleep, it wasn't a surprise that his grasp of holding back necessary information was lacking.

She backed away, her face pale and expression in complete shock.

"Callie, wait- fuck!" Brandon groaned after impulsively reaching out and grabbing her arm, his marred hands jolting him with intense waves of pain shooting across his nerves. But he kept his grip, despite the spasms of agony begging him to let go.

"What the fuck, Brandon!" she shouted. "You were spying on us?!"

"No! I was just walking along the pathway for some air and I heard voices! I recognized one of them as you, so I stopped, and then next thing you know I'm hearing your conversation," he quickly denied.

Utter betrayal shone in her brown eyes, and now it wasn't just his hands that were causing him pain. It broke his heart to be looked at like that…especially from her.

"How dare you?" she whispered. "You could have turned away! You invaded my privacy!"

He gently attempted to pull her closer to him but she shoved away his grip, causing him to cry out in pain. She backed further and further away, reaching the doorway.

"Please, Callie," he griped, clutching his hands in sheer agony. "Listen to me, _please_."

"Why the hell should I listen to you?!"

"Because…" he sighed. "I _did _turn away. Maybe not during your conversation, which I should have done and I'm so, so sorry about that, but I did after."

His pleading eyes begged her to stay and come back to him. Much to his relief, she reluctantly took a few steps forward, inching herself closer to him but still keeping a safe distance. She crossed her arms, listening.

"I honestly wanted to run out there so badly and split you guys apart," he admitted. "I wanted to slam my fist into his face and shout at him to get away from you, and hold you in my arms and never let go…but I didn't. I stopped myself, knowing that you would be humiliated and that I am the reason why you feel this way about yourself, and that I don't deserve you."

Brandon paused briefly, staring at her in shame. "It killed me inside, and it was the last thing I wanted to do…but I walked away."

"Why?" Callie whispered. Her previous expression of hostility had faltered, anguish taking its place. "Why did you walk away?"

"It was the right thing to do…for the both of us."

Her voice softened, as she asked the more important question on her mind. "Why didn't you fight for me?"

"Would you have wanted me to fight for you, Callie?" he asked. "After causing you this pain, would you even _want_ me to be around, if you had the choice? Because I sure as hell wouldn't want someone like that in my life, causing me to question my own self-worth."

She remained silent, lips pulled into a grimace.

He took a step closer to her. "What would have happened if I ran out there and fought for you? Is that what you have wanted? Is that what you want now?"

She watched him approach but didn't move away. "I…I don't know what I want," she confessed, causing her to remember her conversation with Tracy earlier that evening. She sighed and bit her lip in the way that drives him crazy.

Brandon stopped until he stood in front of her. "You may not know what you want," he murmured. "But I do want you to know that you never have and never will be_ just_ good enough to me." He leaned forward, his face close to hers. He gently touched her cheek with his bandaged hand, initially wincing at the stinging but continued to caress her skin.

"You are so different, Callie," he breathed. "Different in so many ways, more and more beautiful with each one. You have accomplished more in your lifetime than someone our age has, gaining so much wisdom, maturity, and compassion in just eighteen years of life. Your strength is so extraordinary, shown through your perseverance after every obstacle thrown at you…and you have been through so much, any average person would have lost their mind."

"But you aren't like any other normal person," he continued. "You're Callie. And you never cease to amaze me."

She blinked, feeling the moment was just too surreal to be true. "Y-you think so? All of that?" she questioned shakily. He nodded in earnest.

"I know so."

Watching as tears brimmed her warm brown eyes, he smiled. "And this comes from me, someone who hasn't just met you, but truly knows you, being there for you through your highs and lows, sharing everything with you."

Callie closed the miniscule distance between them, wrapping her arms around him as she pressed her face against his chest. His strong arms enclosed her, holding her close in the way he longed to that night in the garden.

"I'm so sorry for listening to your conversation, Callie. It was wrong of me to," Brandon murmured, his lips pressed against the top of her head.

"You're forgiven," she murmured. Looking up at him with a smile on her face, she added, "And I'm kind of glad that you did."

"Why is that?"

"Because we wouldn't be here, in this moment, like this…" she gestured between them, sliding her hand up his chest.

It was his turn to reciprocate the smile, as he leaned his face closer to hers, nuzzling her nose with his own.

"I guess so," he chuckled. He gently kissed her forehead, and she closed her eyes.

Never did she imagine walking into this kitchen to end up being wrapped in Brandon's arms like this…especially with how tense things had been between them ever since Gala Night and learning about his troubles with- she stopped herself. She didn't want to think about their complications, the other parties involved in this difficult mess. She attempted to shove the guilt to the back of her mind, wanting to enjoy the here and now for once, and to forget everything else around them…just like their first kiss.

_This…this is so wrong… _Callie sighed as she felt his soft lips travel from her forehead to the tip of her nose. _But just this once…_ She leaned her head back, allowing him access to her neck as his breath ghosted along her cheek, leaving a hot trail of goose bumps in her wake.

Brandon's tongue sliding along her neck caused her to shudder, her nerves shooting up waves of arousal as she moaned against him. He sucked gently at the crook of her neck, aiming perfectly at her favorite place that he knew so well, the place that drives her nuts and writhe as he continued to suck harder.

Her fingers entangled in his hair, sighing his name. He groaned in response, as she raked her nails down his back.

"Callie," he sighed into her neck. Whimpers escaped her mouth as she longed for him to say her name like that over and over again like those many times in his room and on this very counter.

He drew back, his blue eyes darkened with lust. She shuddered, knowing that her gaze must be reflecting the same passion as his. "Brandon," she breathed. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, so noisily she could hear its rapid thump in her ears.

His face neared hers, his lips inching closer and closer. She closed her eyes, waiting for the final crash of their lips that would be rapidly progress into what they have both been longing to have for so long, their culmination of passion.

But it never came.

The sound of a doorbell interrupted the long-awaited pinnacle of the passionate moment, breaking the spell of forgetting troubles and the outside world, reminding them of the reality that always seemed to interfere.

"Fuck," Brandon cursed under his breath. He never loosened his grip around Callie, and instead held her tighter. He pressed his forehead against hers, squeezing his eyes shut. Sighing against him, she kissed the tip of his nose and then his cheek.

Taking all of her willpower to gently push against his chest, she murmured, "You should get that."

He nodded, hesitantly releasing her to reach into his pocket for his phone. He rolled his eyes upon reading the text message and list of missed calls. "Jesus forgot his damn keys again," he muttered in annoyance. "He left that party earlier than Mariana."

Giving Callie a longing look, he leaned over and pressed his lips softly against her cheek, whispering, "You're beautiful, okay? Never think any less of yourself."

She gave him a weak smile and nodded.

"You better go open that door for Jesus. He's probably freaking out right about now."

He chuckled, stepping out of the kitchen to attend to his forsaken brother.

Sighing, Callie leaned against the counter, completely dazed. She was at a loss for words, and any coherent thought was jumbled into a state of disarray, as her racing heartbeat was finally coming to its regular pace.

She soon heard the click of the front door and the banter between Brandon and Jesus resume, especially with the younger Foster brother's exclamation of surprise over his bandaged hands as they bounded up the stairs.

Callie frowned. She almost forgot about his burns. _Damn…that will be hard to explain._

Feeling her phone vibrate in her pocket, she retrieved it and unlocked the screen. She cringed when she saw Hunter's name blinking across her notifications of two missed calls and a text. _Now that will definitely be hard to explain… _she sighed and read the message.

_'Come outside.'_

Raising her eyebrows, she slowly ambled across the house, opening the front door. Startled, she was soon face-to-face with the pair of emerald eyes she had been so afraid to see.

"Hunter?" she asked, baffled. "W-what are you doing here?"

"Hey," he smiled. He reached out and suddenly enveloped her in his arms, sighing. "I was around the area, and I decided to see you."

"Oh…okay," she nodded, awkwardly stiffening in his embrace.

"I've missed you," he breathed. "Let's get out of here."

"Wait…what? Where?"

The clearing of a throat was soon heard, and they immediately broke apart.

"Hey, Brandon," Hunter greeted him.

The eldest Foster sibling stood on the stair landing, arms crossed and clearly not pleased. He nodded curtly at the visitor.

"I'm planning to take your sister out for a bit. Is that cool with you?"

Brandon tensed, narrowing his stare at the blonde-haired guy with such hostility it made her shudder. No words were spoken for a while, the tension building, until he said sternly, "I'll leave that up to her."

He shifted his gaze to Callie, whose face flushed underneath the abrupt change of attention. She felt herself begin to panic, as she ran a hand through her hair and bit her lip.

"Ummm…"

She felt both pairs of eyes drill into her skull, demanding her attention like fervently tugging at the opposite ends of a rope in a game of tug-of-war, with her standing in the unfortunate center.

"…_a really nice guy who cares a lot about you…you shouldn't break his heart"_ Tracy's words echoed through her mind.

Trying to clear her head from the immense pressure building from both ends, she knew that things needed to be taken care of, listening to the voice of her friend in her head.

"Yeah," she finally answered. "Let's go."

When Callie glanced up at Brandon, the heartbreak in his eyes forced her to quickly look away. A heavy weight built in her chest, as she sighed. She couldn't deal with this, not now.

Hunter draped his arm around her shoulder as they both stepped outside, closing the door behind them. It felt strange…having his arm around her just after having Brandon's firm touch along the same place, causing her to feel a tingle along her arms as she reminisced in their brief but blissful moment. But she ended the thoughts there, knowing that doing so was wrong…especially in Hunter's company.

"Man…I think your brother really doesn't like me."

_No, shit. Took you this long to figure that out?_

"I don't know, I guess," Callie lied.

They climbed into his Range Rover, slamming their doors behind them.

Buckling her seatbelt, she turned to him. "So, where are we going exactly?"

He smiled, turning on the engine and checking his rearview mirror. "The beach," he replied. "A late night walk, if you don't mind. Feels like a night to just talk, you know?"

She looked outside her window, watching as they passed the Foster house and pulled out of the curb. She could just imagine Brandon slamming the door to his room, flinging himself in bed and staring up at the ceiling in the way she always knew he did whenever he was upset. Either that or he would vent his resentment over the piano keys…but that obviously wasn't an option.

"Yeah," she murmured. "It's like you read my mind."

Retrieving her phone, she quickly sent him a text.

_'I need to talk to him. Please understand.'_

She shoved her phone back into her pocket, closing her eyes as she leaned back in her seat. Her head was starting to throb, undoubtedly stemming from the broad range of emotions she had been tossed through all night…and here goes to another damn tidal wave.

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**So, what did you guys think? How are those Brallie feels going? ;) what will the encounter between Brandon and Callie result? And how do you think Callie's talk with Hunter will go?**

**Please leave it all in a review! Reviews are wonderful and make me really happy :)**

**-J**


	9. The Choice

**A/N: Hello, my lovely readers! Wow! You all never cease to amaze me :) never would I have imagined having so much feedback on this story. I was reluctant at first to even post it up, but I'm glad that I did. I truly appreciate all of your reviews! I hope you guys like this chapter, and please read the note I left at the bottom of the page once you're done. Cheers!**

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The shining of the full moon captured the beach in a luminescent glow, highlighting the churning of the waves as they pushed to high tide along the shore. Not a single cloud was found in the sky, revealing the scattering of the infinite numbers of stars across the galaxy. With a slight chilly breeze drifting through the ocean air, it was enough to comfortably wrap oneself in a blanket without shivering convulsively in the cold.

Kicking around the sand with her bare feet, Callie clutched the blanket tighter around herself as she smirked.

"Nice to not be wandering around in complete darkness like last time."

"Yeah…it is."

It was undeniably romantic, taking a late night walk along the beach in these perfect conditions. But that was what made her feel slightly uncomfortable than appreciative in this situation.

"So how was your day?" Hunter casually asked, the foundation of small talk paving the way for the underlying matter.

"It was fine," Callie shrugged. "The usual day at work, filled with some rude customers and not so great tips. Then Tracy and I went to Jitters for some coffee after…" she trailed off, mind drifting to the conversation with her friend. Her stomach twisted a bit at the remembrance, as she averted her eyes to her sandy feet.

"And I went home afterwards," she continued. "Nothing really eventful today."

_Except almost having sex with Brandon, _she awkwardly thought to herself. "And yours?"

Hunter dragged his feet along the sand, seeming to mirror her interest on the ground than sharing eye contact.

"I just spent my day at the studio. I'm working on an original composition with _Art In Motion _for a performance in a few weeks."

"That sounds really great!" she replied enthusiastically.

"Yeah. I'm excited about it." But the slight change in his tone said otherwise, as he grimaced slightly. Callie noticed, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Everything okay?" she asked, concerned. "Not so happy with how rehearsals are going?"

"No…it's not that," he sighed. "It's nothing, really. I'm fine." He looked awfully distracted, as he ran a hand through his messy blonde hair.

She suddenly stopped walking, halting him in his tracks. She folded her arms across her chest, giving him a curious look. "You know something is definitely wrong if you say the two words 'I'm fine'. It's like the number one rule in a girl's handbook," she mused. "Now, really…what's wrong? I hate persisting like this, but I know you would do the same because you care."

"It doesn't even involve me," he replied softly. "It's Abby."

The amusement in her expression vanished. For the second time tonight, she was hearing of concern over the dancer…something must definitely be wrong. "Abby? Is she okay?"

"I don't know," he sighed. But once again, the altering of his voice indicated the contrary, and she caught on.

"Look…it may not be any of my business," Callie murmured. "But I'm here to listen."

Hunter stayed silent for a while, shoving around sand with the bottom of his feet before looking up. "Please don't say anything," he implored, the seriousness evident in both his eyes and tone. She nodded.

"Abby is…" he hesitated, "depressed. She has been for years, and you kind of figure with how things are with her parents. She may not seem like it, being so warm and cheerful to those around, but she just knows how to hide it well…especially with how her parents stressed that nobody should ever know about it because of how it would ruin their reputation."

Callie felt a lump gather in her throat. Warmhearted, outgoing Abby…depressed? Abby, who seemed to have everything put together? That wasn't something she quite expected.

But then again, Hunter was right; it made sense with her lack of family support and the sheer insensitivity on the issue treated by her parents…which Callie found disgusting. One would think that her parents would gather the nerve to actually help their daughter than treat her illness like a burden. It just never clicked in the Foster girl's head, since she assumed that the dancer took her familial issues with ease, pushing aside her problems with indifference as she sought to care for everyone else and focus on her passion. The undisclosed flaw drew further sympathy from her.

"How do you know about her depression?" she asked softly. It was obvious that the issue was sensitive from the way Hunter looked when he uncertainly brought it up, especially with the notable hostility in his tone when mentioning Abby's parents – but she couldn't blame him.

"I know about this is because I've known her since we were kids," he explained. "She would get sent here almost every summer to stay with Cathy so she could take therapy sessions that weren't anywhere near her hometown, saving the chances of anyone ever knowing about it. Along with my sister, she formed _Art in Motion _at the studio…it helped to keep her busy between sessions, which she would sometimes tell us about."

"She stopped taking her medication when she met Brandon," he continued. "She claimed that she didn't need it anymore from the way he made her feel. I tried to tell her that she should still take it, basing it off of what the doctors say, but she wouldn't listen to me."

He paused, undecided. He shoved his hands into his pockets, biting his lip. "Look, I know that your brother doesn't like me and that I probably shouldn't be asking this…but do you know what's wrong with him?"

He quickly added, "I'm only asking because I'm worried about Abby. She said that everything was fine when they were back in New York…but ever since they came here he's been growing distant, and she feels like she did something wrong. So she has become withdrawn, trying to protect herself by numbing her emotions in the fear of something going wrong."

Callie looked away, feeling the guilt resurface. Yes, she knew…it was because of _her_. How he would always run after her every time she would flee, leaving behind Abby in a state of confusion and self-blame. She was the reason why he had become distant with his girlfriend, the one driving the wedge between them. And she felt terribly guilty about it, especially with the past events of the night reeling in her mind…how reckless and insensitive both partakers were acting, hurting those around them by closely giving in to mindless passion.

She bit her lip. "No, I'm not really sure," she finally answered him, hoping the lingering silence wasn't a dead giveaway for her lie.

"But I can talk to him, you know…to get things right." She paused. "For Abby."

She really liked Abby, and hurting her like this, causing her to feel at fault when she had done nothing wrong, was selfish. No matter how much she wanted to be with Brandon, Callie knew that this wasn't right…not like this.

Hunter sighed, relieved. A thankful smile graced his lips as he nodded to her. "Thank you," he murmured. "That would mean a lot…she's like a sister to me, and I hate seeing her like this."

She nodded. "Yeah…I understand." She tugged slightly at the frayed ends of the blanket. "And in the meantime, you should convince her to continue taking her medication."

"I'll keep trying," he said. "Been trying for the past semester. I just have to be extra careful now…she's really vulnerable at this point."

_I could only imagine,_ Callie thought sadly to herself.

Silence fell upon them, with only the familiar sound of the sloshing of waves remaining.

Slowly removing his hands from his pockets, he gazed at her. Blushing underneath his stare, she found herself smiling for reasons unknown. Hunter had a peculiar way of always making her smile, even when he didn't say anything at all. Maybe it was his contagious grin, or that charm of his that exuded from his mere presence that seemed to light up a room.

He shyly wrapped an arm around her shoulder, tugging her along as they resumed their walk. "I'm sorry for changing the subject," he murmured. "I didn't take you out here to have a long talk about Abby and your brother if that's what you're thinking."

Callie shrugged nonchalantly beneath his hold. "It's alright. I asked you how your day was, and you talked about how worried you are over Abby…which you have good reason to. Nothing wrong with that. I always talk about my worries with you."

"Thanks for understanding," he gave her an appreciative squeeze on the arm. "But I took you out on this walk…well, to talk about us." He laughed nervously. "Sorry for stating the obvious. No other way around the elephant in the room."

She didn't say anything, waiting for what was to come. There was no turning back now.

Hunter stopped walking, pausing them in mid-stroll as he turned to her. "Callie," he whispered shakily, the nervousness evident in his stare. "I hate putting you on the spot like this…but I need to know. How do you feel about me? About us?"

And there it was. The acknowledgement of the damn elephant that was rearing its head at her, demanding her attention.

He lifted her chin up gently with his thumb, cupping her cheek with his other hand. His green eyes shined underneath the moonlight, earnest and worried. "Callie?"

"I…" she closed her eyes. "I don't know."

For the third damn time of the night, that was her response. And she was sick of it. She was tired of this uncertainty.

She opened her eyes, immediately regretting it by facing the hurt in Hunter's face.

"…_a really nice guy who cares a lot about you." _Tracy's words reverberated through her mind again, causing her to inhale sharply. Who was she kidding? She felt something with him; from the way she felt flutters in her stomach whenever he looked at her so intensely, and how she felt appreciated when he did the little things to show he cares…how could she not?

"I like you," Callie admitted honestly. "I really do. But when it comes to a relationship…I'm just not sure if I'm ready." She covered his hands with hers, staring in earnest as she hoped that he would understand.

And being the caring guy she knew he was, he nodded sympathetically.

"I understand…you're still hurting from that ex of yours," he murmured. He drew back slightly, lowering his face to lean closer towards hers. "And I just want you to know that it's okay. The last thing I want to do is force you into something you aren't ready for."

He kissed her softly on the cheek. "So I'll be right here, waiting."

Callie sighed, leaning into the sweet kiss. His messy hair tickled her cheek, as she buried her face into the crook of his neck.

"…_this guy is actually a keeper."_

_Yes…yes you are. _

** …**

Clicking the front door quietly behind her, Callie tiptoed across the floorboards of the house, shoes in hand and face scrunched in concentration.

Although her curfew was somewhat extended once she turned eighteen, she still had the tendency to surpass the restriction every so often – thanks to late nights with Tracy – resulting in mastering the technique of sneaking back to her room with ease.

But this time, rather than immediately leaping up the stairs, she steered towards the kitchen in hopes of meeting with the one person she needed to see – and who failed to respond to her earlier text. However, she entered an empty kitchen, faintly lit by the full moon's glow leaking through the windows' curtains. Only the steady sound of the faucet dripping broke the spell of silence.

Perplexed and disappointed, Callie made her way back up the staircase. She was so certain that he would be there, waiting for her…what was up with him? She stopped at the top of the stairs, eyeing his bedroom door nervously.

_Should I…?_

Shaking her head to herself, she strode to his room. _Might as well try. _Softly knocking on the wooden surface, she waited a short while before slowly twisting the knob, pushing the door slightly ajar.

And there he was, sitting at the edge of his bed, hunched over and forehead creased in deep thought.

"Brandon?" Callie whispered. "Are you okay?"

He looked up, his face indecipherable and shrouded from the shadows. She hesitantly stepped into the room, closing the door behind her.

He stood up, striding over to meet her halfway.

"Brandon, I-"

She was cut off from his lips passionately crashing into hers, as he tightly pulled her to him. All train of thought was instantly shut down, as she was caught completely off guard. Instant fireworks set and sparks of electricity fired between them, her nerves standing on end as their long-awaited kiss persisted in a battle of dominance with their tongues. She soon found her instincts instantly respond to him, her body welcoming his with fervent desire.

They landed upon his bed, never breaking their passionate kiss as he climbed on top of her. He quickly pulled off his shirt, tossing it aside to the ground before ducking his head down to reclaim her lips with his. She wrapped her legs around his waist, eliciting a quiet moan from him as she ran her fingers along his bareback. She felt his tight muscles tense and move underneath her fingertips, shifting as he moved lower to suck on her neck. Arching her back off the bed, she ground her hips into his, causing them both to groan in pleasure.

"Callie," he breathed heavily, his voice hoarse with need. His hot breath scorched her skin, raising goose bumps along her arms and legs.

But by finally hearing his voice, Callie suddenly froze. Battling through the heavy lust that was clouding her judgment, she began to remember that she came here in the first place with an actual objective in mind…and as much as she insanely wanted the sex, this wasn't it.

Feeling her body suddenly tense in movement, Brandon stopped.

"Callie?" he whispered, confused. His breathing was still erratic, as his body enraptured in their fleeting passion waned. She pushed lightly against his chest, removing her legs from around his waist as she sat up. He reluctantly followed suit, sitting along the edge of the bed next to her.

"Did I do something wrong?" he whispered. "I'm sorry if that was too fast…I just assumed that you wanted to continue where we left off earlier, especially with you coming here at this time of night."

She didn't respond at first, her head spinning as she panted slightly, attempting to regain her bearings before answering.

"Brandon," she exhaled heavily. "This is wrong…and you know it."

He didn't reply, turning his face away from her. A sliver of moonlight shined upon him, causing the blue in his eyes to smolder in a beautiful luminosity of sorrow. Being able to finally see his face, this was the first glimpse of him she caught ever since she first stepped into his bedroom…and it wasn't a look she adored. She longed to toss aside any further comments pressed by her conscience, and to push him onto the mattress to continue where they left off, but the guilt weighing her down was overwhelming.

"Have you ever considered how she would feel about all of this?" Callie asked. "How hurt she would be if she were to find out? Because that girl loves you, and if you truly love her as much as you say that you do, then you wouldn't be doing this."

"I do love her," he murmured. "It's just that…you've always had this piece of me, something I don't know if I could ever get back. It's a piece of my heart that I feel you will always own, and it kills me inside to know it."

"I feel the same way," she sighed.

He laughed sadly to himself. "How is it, that every time we get so damn close we only get pulled further away?"

"Close to sex?"

"No…well, not just that, but you know what I mean."

"Umm," she hesitated. "I don't know. Bad timing?"

He raised an eyebrow. "But how could it be bad timing if this time it's on you and nobody else interrupting us?" he questioned.

"What choice do I have?! I had to stop this before it's something we both regret," her voice began to rise, anger flaring within her. _What the hell?!_ _How could he not understand that?_

"You have the choice to be happy," he replied, reaching out to touch her arm but only to be roughly shoved aside. He soon began to seethe in his own rising anger upon the rejection of his touch.

"No, Brandon! I don't!" Callie snapped, bursting into tears. The support upholding the heavy weight of guilt had broken within her, causing the floodgates that restrained her emotions to crash in a violent torrent.

"This isn't like how it was two years ago!" she cried out. "Things are just so damn complicated now! We aren't kids anymore, and there is so much more on the line. So many more people getting hurt, more risks to be taken…I just can't."

"Earlier, I thought I could settle with just being in the moment, sleeping with you and just brushing aside whatever came next," she shook her head, burying her face in her hands. "But I realize now that I just can't, because I'm thinking of the morning after! I want this to last and for us to rightfully be together, not just to secretly have sex then go back to our significant others at the end of the day…but in what universe is that even possible for us?"

"We could have had our morning after…our happy ending," he countered bitterly, the harshness of his glare felt even in the darkness.

"Of course you would bring up the damn past!" Callie groaned, exasperated as she raked her hands roughly through her hair. "Well, I was scared then. But now, I'm just being damn honest. In what universe would this have worked out? Is a happy ending even _possible_ for us?"

"If you had enough faith in us we could have," Brandon replied coldly.

She felt the wind knock out of her lungs, just like that first night in the kitchen. With the experience of knowing her so well, he held the power of knowing which buttons to press and what could be used to break her…and she absolutely hated it.

She stood up abruptly, wiping away the tears that left hot trails down her cheeks. "I-I can't deal with this. I'm leaving."

She stalked off to the door, turning the knob to open it.

"Of course you would," he retorted. "Just like last time."

Callie refused to look back, stepping out into the hallway as she controlled the urge to slam the door behind her.

Dragging her feet to her room, she quietly entered and collapsed in her bed, tears flowing.

If only fate was in her favor, or if she wasn't so selfless maybe she could have the choice. But that wasn't in her nature…she grew up looking out for everyone else, and in consequence, sacrificing her own happiness time after time.

* * *

**Ah, they have finally kissed! Alas, 'tis bittersweet :( if only our Callie wasn't so selfless and caring...but then again, that's why we love her.**

**As a side note, with the upcoming school year approaching, I just want to let you all know that I may not be updating as frequently. BUT I will work just as hard to update asap and I will NOT abandon this story! I have already mapped out everything and will see to its end. All I ask of you guys is to continue following this and review. You won't be disappointed, my lovelies. There are surprises in store hehe. **

**So tell me what you think! It would only take a few seconds (and even more so if you want to go into detail, which I'm all for it haha). Leave it all in a review! :) **

**-J **


	10. The Movie Night

**A/N: Hello, my readers! As always, so many thanks for all of your reviews/faves/follows! You guys are amazing :) And don't worry, I never forgot about you guys. Despite things being hectic with my schedule, I'm still managing to continue writing this as much as I can. So, taking a _slight_ break from the intense drama, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, which is a bit more light-hearted and different. I also wanted to incorporate the whole Foster clan into this to add a tidbit of some nice family fun, something I definitely miss now that we're on standby until January. So I hope you all enjoy this somewhat of a rare breather (because the drama will surely come back with a vengeance). Cheers!**

* * *

Family Movie Night.

The randomly selected night chosen for 'quality-family time', used for bonding as everyone huddles around in the living room to watch the voted upon movie. And that night was tonight, the reason why Callie was bent in front of the bathroom mirror, distracting herself by brushing her teeth after dinner.

_Dear God…why? Out of all nights, why tonight?_

"Why are you brushing your teeth now? You know that we're going to be eating popcorn and the usual junk while we're watching the movie."

Not bothering to look up, Callie rinsed and spit into the sink. Sighing, she washed her toothbrush underneath the warm water and stowed it away in the holder.

"That's the thing, Jude. I'm not watching the movie," she replied, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

Jude's eyes widened, as he crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe. "You know that won't sit well with Stef and Lena," he chided. "It's a tradition for everyone to be present, and you know that."

Callie rolled her eyes, making a grab for her green towel. A long shower sounded nice, and maybe that would be enough to ward off her brother from pestering her to join this bonding time. For the past several days, she hadn't exactly been in the best mood to even pretend to be cheerful…for the obvious reason being the person who seemed just as inwardly exasperated as she was. She proceeded to bend over to reach for the shower tap.

"Well, I think it's fine to skip out on this one movie night."

"Um, I'm not so sure about that," her brother hesitated. "Hunter is still downstairs."

She froze, her hand paused mid-turn on the lightly spurting spigot. "W-what? Why is he still here?"

Jude shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, we were talking about the movie night over dinner, and you never mentioned that you were planning to ditch. You can't blame him for staying…he probably thought you were just coming up to use the bathroom and that you would rejoin us."

She groaned. Once the words 'Family Movie Night' was declared across the table, she must have completely zoned out into figuring out a strategy to ditch without even verbalizing the hatched excuse. And now abandoning Hunter, after he sweetly helped her with the dishes, would just be incredibly rude on her part.

"So yeah, you can't back out now."

Glaring at the smug look on her little brother's face in the mirror, she shut off the water and stood up.

"Fine," Callie grumbled, chucking her towel back into the open cabinet. "I'll be there in a few."

_Time to go put on a show…_

** …**

"Seriously, Mariana? You're suggesting _that_ movie?"

"I was kidding!" Mariana huffed. "Well…sort of. I think Magic Mike would be an enjoyable movie to watch for _most _of us." She winked at Callie and Abby, who both blushed in response.

"_No,_" the stern responses of Brandon and Hunter quickly disagreed. Their significant others smirked at the sudden bout of jealousy.

"Okay, okay!" the younger Foster sister laughed. "Um, how about…Pitch Perfect?"

Everyone groaned in unison.

"We've seen that movie so many times!" Jude complained.

Mariana rolled her eyes, throwing her hands up in annoyance. "Somebody else shout out movie suggestions! Everything I've brought up has been shot down!"

And that was when the typical chaos ensued, as Callie braced herself for the inevitable. The difficult decision-making – comprised of constant bickering and sometimes even food throwing – over the exact film choice amongst each individual's select favorites served as more entertainment for her most times than the actual movie itself.

"We Bought a Zoo!" "Sherlock Holmes!" "Valentine's Day!"

"Les Miserables!"

Everyone suddenly turned to look at Brandon.

"Seriously, bro?" Jesus smirked. "Les Mis? That movie is like three hours long!"

The eldest Foster blushed furiously. "Three hours of musical genius! The film score is just so amazing!" Jude and Jesus proceeded to snicker and flick kernels of popcorn at him, eliciting a growl in response.

"Aw, sweetie. Of course you would," Abby laughed. "If it helps, I wouldn't mind watching it." She gave him a sympathetic pat on the arm, and he grinned widely at her. He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the tip of her nose, causing her to smile and her cheeks to redden.

Callie involuntarily looked away, averting her gaze to the blinding blue tv screen that continued to impatiently wait for their movie decision.

For reasons unknown and to her surprise, Brandon and Abby seemed to somehow reach a resolve, picking up where they left off as that happy, affectionate couple. Of course, that happiness was on the surface, as Callie knew all too well the underlying issues that were rooted in the relationship and its individuals, difficult to suddenly forgo. But then again, there was only so much griping and moping one could do before taking the step to accept and move past such issues, choosing to forgive and eventually forget.

And for that, she knew that she should be happy for them. After all, she was the one who narrowly rejected Brandon's advances for the sake of salvaging both of their relationships and future, which was ultimately the right thing to do. But why did she still feel this emptiness inside, tugging at her in uncertainty and discontent?

_Maybe I just need to get used to this. Get used to the fact that we're just not meant to work out and that I need to stick by this decision…yeah, that sounds about right. Right…? _

And from what she could tell, Abby looked like her happy self, albeit more tired. But then again, she was skilled in masking her emotions well, so it wasn't such a surprise. All Callie could do was hope that her cheerfulness was genuine and not feigned like all of those previous years in her lonely life…she deserved a shot at happiness, to be loved and understood.

_After all, it's not just about Brandon and me. It's about other peoples' feelings, too._

Callie dared to take a quick peek at Brandon, who undertook the task of flinging a pillow at a shrieking Jesus. The latter retaliated with another blitz of popcorn kernels, along with the addition of gummy bears as ammo and Jude quickly joining his side in aide. Roars of laughter and mockery erupted from the trio, leaving everyone else to watch in both enjoyment and terror.

Despite the internal conflict churning inside her mind, she couldn't stop herself from laughing aloud at the amusing ordeal. _Oh, how much I love our family._

"They really go hard at this, don't they?" Hunter mused. He quickly dodged an incoming kernel that narrowly missed his head, green eyes wide.

"Oh, you have no idea," she chuckled. "Lucky for them, moms aren't here at the moment, or else they would be in for a serious scolding."

Shortly after, a gummy bear smacked Mariana in the face, resulting in a loud screech of impatient protest. "Okay seriously, you guys! Pick something! We're running out of ideas here!"

Reluctantly raising her hand as if they were all in a classroom, Abby responded, "Have you guys seen 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'?"

The elevated volume in the living room quickly decreased, as everyone stopped to ponder the suggestion. Mumblings of denial seemed to sweep the majority, as they began to take interest in the film choice.

"Hmm…I saw it back when it first came out in theaters, but it's been a while. And I don't think the rest of us have ever seen it," Mariana admitted. "Do you have it with you?"

Abby nodded, standing up. "I think it's somewhere in my backpack. I brought it over to Beth's the other night and never took it out." She left to retrieve the DVD case, quickly springing up the stairs to Brandon's room. She soon came back, movie in hand and ready to go.

"So yeah, is this the final vote for 'Perks'? Because once I insert the movie and the trailers start to play, it will be too late to turn back," Abby called out.

Everyone nodded, a sense of relief washing over their faces upon finally settling on a film.

"Okay, I think you guys will love this. It's definitely one of my favorites," she smiled and pushed the movie in. She stood up and reclaimed her place on the couch next to Brandon, who slinked an arm around her shoulders.

"Good job, you have brought peace to my family," he whispered into her ear.

Abby laughed, reaching for what was left of the popcorn. "And this comes from the one who pelted his brothers with countless kernels without any mercy."

"Hey! They started it!"

Leaning into Hunter, Callie sighed. Hopefully this movie would serve as a sufficient distraction for her developing migraine, which began to throb every time she would even think about a certain someone and their present situation.

Glancing down at her, Hunter wrapped an arm around her and beamed. "Glad to know that nobody got killed over this."

She closed her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder. "Be glad. Normally it gets worse. Way worse."

Silence fell upon the typically boisterous living room, as everyone watched the television with keen interest. Following the finish of the first trailer, the cheers of Lena and Stef entered the living room. "It's a miracle! They have finally chosen a movie!"

The Foster kids shrugged, eyes still glued to the screen.

Settling into the empty armchairs that were saved for them, the moms sighed in relief, leaning back to relax together after a long day. However, before fully immersing herself into leisure, Lena froze, straightening herself into her 'regal' pose and raising her left eyebrow in that signature look of hers.

"Why are there kernels and gummy bears everywhere?"

** …**

From the clicks and dings of the typewriter in the movie's beginning to its emotional end, Callie found herself captivated by the storyline, inspired by the sheer emotion displayed on screen.

There were many aspects of the movie that could be appreciated by everyone in their own personal perspective, relating to it in their own way as Charlie navigated the audience through his tale of love, loss, and hope.

Several parts especially tugged at her heartstrings, such as when Charlie and Mr. Anderson discussed why people chose the wrong ones to date, in which the latter quietly responded, "We accept the love we think we deserve."

Her breath caught in her throat at the saying, eyes widening as she reflected the accuracy in its meaning. The simplicity in the quote couldn't have rung more true, whether it referred to either platonic or romantic love, as she compared the low points in her past to where she stood now.

Before stepping into the Foster home, Callie remembered how she spent all of her life running and shutting others out, raised into such cruel conditions that she was forced into believing that she was as worthless as the way people treated her. She figured that, being as useless as she felt, genuine love was out of the question for her…and when Liam came along, the first person in such a long time to show he 'cared', she was vulnerable, longing for someone to love her…and when he turned out to use and rape her, he took away that last piece of self-worth she had left, crushing her completely.

Entering the Fosters' house, filled with kindness and warmth, was bizarre for her…even frightening, as she remembered how extremely guarded and hostile she was with everyone. Despite the aggression in her demeanor, that one person saw through it all, proving to be willing to stand by her ever since day one when she rescued Jude…and here he was, sitting on the same couch as her, distant and hurting. Brandon, the first person to genuinely care, fought to prove that she was worth so much more than what she was led to believe. He made her feel special, beautiful…loved. It took her the longest time to believe it, and when she finally did, she fled to Indiana in fear of losing herself once again, but this time for good, for happy endings were nonexistent in her life.

And if she ever doubted his love, she couldn't have been more wrong. He chased after her, as undeserving as she was, demonstrating his love by risking everything in so many ways she had broken down in joy upon seeing him standing at Wyatt's doorstep. And he proved to her that day that she was worth every and any risk she could ever imagine, and she allowed herself to be loved for the first time in her difficult life, realizing that she truly deserved the world that he was giving her, that wonderful happy ending.

But that was then…and this was now. Now, years later, they were with different people, entangled in situations and set in separate futures that drove them apart.

Smiling sadly at the remembrance, Callie felt her eyes brim with tears.

Thanks to Brandon, she knew that she deserved a love that would make her head spin round endlessly, causing the whole world to watch in envy as she was treated as special as she learned to understand that she was. But it killed her inside to question if he would be the one giving her such a love at the end of the day, if he would be the happy ending to her story after everything that they went through.

"Are you okay?" Hunter whispered, crashing her back to Earth.

She didn't realize that she had been sniffing loudly, causing everyone to eye her with concern. From the corner of her eye, she saw Brandon shrink in his seat, probably feeling the same whirlwind of memories and emotions that she was undergoing right now.

"I'm fine," Callie forced a smile, waving a hand of indifference. "I can't help it. This movie is just getting to me, that's all…it's really good."

Everybody nodded; silently agreeing and shifting his or her glances back to the screen.

Bringing her knees up to her chest and hugging them tightly, she glimpsed over at Brandon, whose eyes met hers. From the brightness of the television's screen reflecting upon his face, she watched as his inner turmoil mirrored her own.

Sighing, she wiped away the tears from her eyes and looked away.

_This is the right thing to do…all I need is time. _

** …**

Stacking up the empty bowls and cups in the sink, Callie squeezed soap onto the sponge and ran it underneath the warm water. She scrubbed at the plastic surfaces, washing the remnants of butter and kernels to slosh off from the water. She tossed her head back to avoid submerging her hair into the soak, brushing aside a strand that persistently refused to stay tucked behind her ear.

"Do you need some help?"

Keeping her eyes focused on the chore at hand in determination, she shrugged. "Sure."

She stepped aside, making room for the other side of the sink.

However, rather than immediately joining her to wash the dishes, Brandon stepped behind her, slowly reaching over to sweep her hair into his gentle hands and brushing it behind her. His fingers lightly touched her shoulders, causing her to tense.

"Don't even, Brandon," she warned, teeth clenched and eyes narrowed. The last thing she needed was to be touched by him right now, for she was determined to stand her ground.

Dropping his hands to his sides, he grumbled. "Relax, Callie. I just wanted to help. Your hair seemed to be bothering you."

"If you wanted to help, you could help me by drying these dishes."

Sighing in defeat, he stepped next to her. Carefully taking the bowls and cups that were freshly washed and laid aside, he began to dry them with a clean dishtowel, cautious not to bump the still sensitive areas on his healing hands.

They carried on their tasks in quiet, not even making eye contact as they exchanged side nods and gestures in reference to their team effort in the chore's completion.

While reaching up to stack several dried plates into the uppermost cabinet shelf, Brandon accidentally brushed her arm, eliciting a snarl in response.

"What the hell, Callie," he groaned. "How can I even be _around_ you if you're like this? All I was doing was putting away the dishes!"

"Then _don't_ be around me," she retorted. "Don't make this any more difficult than it already is."

"That's pretty impossible to do, with us living under the same roof again!"

"Well, thank God it's temporary!"

"Hey, is everything alright?" a soft voice interjected.

They both turned towards the doorway to see Abby standing there, backpack slung over her shoulder with a puzzled look on her face. "I just came down to ask if I could be taken home soon. Sorry…I have an early workshop to teach tomorrow."

Brandon pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly distressed. "Yeah, everything is fine. I'll get my keys and we can go." He threw the dishtowel aside and strode out of the kitchen.

Silence followed his exit, a blanket of awkwardness shrouding the room.

Shifting on the heels of her feet, Abby slowly stepped towards the island and settled in a seat, draping her backpack on the chair's arm. "Are you okay?"

Unfortunately, there weren't any dishes left to scrub or dry for distraction, so Callie had no other choice than to join her. Sitting across from her, she propped an elbow on the counter and rested her head on her hand, sighing. "Yeah…I am."

Raising an eyebrow, Abby gave her a knowing look. "Come on, Callie. I know something is up. Is Brandon being a dick again?"

Callie's mouth hung open as she stared at her in shock. "Wait - what? Did you just call him…?"

"Don't worry about it," the other girl laughed. "He knows that it's true, how he can go off in one those moods of his…I'm sure you know about them. Took me a while to get used to, but it's something I learned to accept. I apologize on his behalf."

_Yeah…I know all about those moods._ Callie smiled sadly at her. "I guess so. It's around that time again…and don't worry about it. It's not your fault."

_If only you knew that it really isn't. Any of this. _

Shrugging, Abby leaned back in her seat. "Even though, I still feel bad whenever he goes off on people like that." Tracing a slender finger along the grooves of the countertop, she absently stared into space. "So…you really liked the movie?" she asked carefully, a timid expression on her face.

Callie nodded. "It was really good. I honestly didn't expect to like it so much and relate to it."

"Yeah…it's difficult not to relate to it somehow," Abby murmured. "The struggles that each of the characters went through, battling their own inner demons and those around them while starting over…it's amazing and real." A wistful look shined in her hazel eyes, drifting her off into the realms of her mind that Callie longed to question but held back.

She could only imagine the emotional connection the fragile girl felt when watching the movie, the struggles of despair and loneliness spiraling into depression, as mirrored by Charlie on-screen.

Breaking apart from her emotional wandering, Abby suddenly smiled brightly and leaned forward, leaving behind the sadness of remembrance a moment before. She quickly shifted the conversation's direction with ease. "So, I hear that things are going great between you and Hunter."

Slightly puzzled by the sudden change, Callie shrugged. "Yeah, I guess you can say that."

It wasn't a lie. Things actually were going great with the musician, something she felt quite unsure of after their late night walk on the beach. Much to her relief, Hunter really wasn't lying when he said that he would never pressure her into anything, and he took extra care to make sure she was comfortable with the pace they were going. It was thoughtful of him to be so gentle and patient with her…only adding to her guilt, as a small part of her still questioned if this was what she really wanted.

"I'm glad," Abby beamed. "He's a great guy. He always looked after Beth and me when we were kids…he was the sensible one, watching out for us while we were a bit reckless."

A twinkle in her eye sparkled and she laughed, continuing on. "So, I was talking to Hunter, and we were talking about having…well, a bit of a double date. You know, the four of us."

Callie almost choked on her breath as she stared at her, bewildered. "Wait- what? The four of us…?"

Abby raised an eyebrow at the surprised girl, mildly perplexed. "Um, yeah…the four of us, as in you, me, Brandon, and Hunter."

"Uh…" she trailed off, mind blank and at a complete loss for words. "I don't know."

"Come on, Callie! It will be fun! And I talked to Brandon about it, and he said that he was fine with it as long as you are."

The brown-eyed girl stared, now dumbstruck. "He…actually said that he was fine with it?"

Before Abby could respond, a cold voice answered for her. "Yeah. I am."

Glancing up at the passive stare of the responder, she couldn't help but feel a slight rise of her former hostility return, only this time mixed with shock and bewilderment. _Why are you agreeing to this? Are you crazy? Is this some kind of sick joke?_

As if reading her mind, Brandon shrugged. "After a lot of convincing, Abby finally got me to agree to this. I mean, might as well. Hunter seems like an okay guy…I guess. And he is a good friend of hers." He approached his girlfriend, taking her hand and gently pulling her to him. Reaching over to the chair with his other arm, he shouldered her backpack despite her protests.

Abby sighed, shyly glancing at her. "So, what do you say, Callie? Yes?" A tinge of hope, that sounded like a child asking a parent for permission to play, shined through her words, making it rather hard to resist.

Callie opened her mouth in an attempt to somewhat answer, but no words came out. Still stunned at the turning point of the conversation and Brandon's strange shift of agreeableness on this decision, she awkwardly gaped like a fish out of water, unable to speak.

The burning stares of the two other people in the kitchen increased her unease, as they waited for her answer in deafening silence. However, it was the blue eyes that really bothered her in this, watching her with an expression she had difficulty deciphering. She couldn't tell if it was a look that was meaning to egg her on, challenging her to take this as if it was some kind of dare…or if it was simply a look that was questioning her hesitation. Maybe he wasn't being hostile about this…he could be using this as a step to help them further their decision of moving on from their past, lacking any hostility but actually being genuine in this effort of getting to know Hunter.

Whatever the underlying motive was, she knew that she still had to give them an answer.

_What choice do I really have in this?_

As much as she hated peer pressure, she knew that there really wasn't a sufficient enough excuse to use when three out of the four people in this pending double date already agreed to such plans…and now they were just waiting for her response.

_Isn't this just great? _she thought darkly to herself.

Releasing a breath she didn't realize she had been holding this whole time, Callie reluctantly nodded. "Fine. I guess so."

Smiling brightly, Abby clapped her hands together. "Great! Now it's finally settled!" she exclaimed, clearly excited.

However, the other party didn't seem as thrilled. He rather appeared sullen, with a weak smile on his face that failed to reach his blue eyes.

Sighing, Callie looked away, plastering on her own weak excuse of a smile.

_What the hell am I getting myself into?_

* * *

**Please don't forget to leave a review! And tell me what you guys think! **

**-J**


	11. The Double Date

**A/N: Hello, my readers! Ahhhh, words can't even express how sorry I am for falling off the face of the fanfic world for a while! :( rest-assured, I am alive and well. Just stressed with my coursework for this semester, but now I have a good handle on things, so updating shouldn't be as infrequent! I hate not updating as often as I did over the summer, but I promise you guys again that I am **_**not**_** abandoning this (and I hope you all stay by it, too). Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

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Pocketing his keys and fidgeting around with the hem of his cardigan, Brandon tentatively approached the doorstep, stepping onto the lush doormat.

He stood before the tall cherry wood doors; his hand paused over the doorbell.

His mind reeled with how possibly – and most likely – disastrous this night could be. Hell, he was going on a double date with his ex (whom his girlfriend had no idea about), and the guy she was currently dating, whom he had grown a disliking for. Why did he even think that there could be some kind of benefit from agreeing to this?

_Because you thought that by facing this reality of her seeing someone else, that this might speed things up in moving on…after all, isn't that what Callie ultimately wants? _

He sighed. The sooner he accepted this, the better. _Too late to turn back now._

He pressed the doorbell, the musical chiming from within the mansion sounding loudly. Soon after, the darting of footsteps was heard and the door opened.

"Hi," Abby greeted, hazel eyes bright as her smile.

His breath caught in his throat, as his eyes took her in.

Her long dark hair was gently waved, framing her delicate face that held little makeup. She wore a lavender sweater dress over gray tights, and he could smell that perfume of hers that he loved so much, a blend of sweet vanilla and spicy cinnamon.

Brandon stepped inside and she closed the door softly behind him, only to wrap her arms around his neck into an embrace. She rested her head against his chest, sighing into him. He slowly encircled his arms around her waist, feeling the guilt bite away at his conscious.

Seeing his girlfriend now, radiant and overjoyed to see him, broke him a little inside at the remembrance that he cheated on her a few nights before.

It was hard enough during the movie night, pretending that everything was fine when he really was fighting back the remorse that threatened to boil over, especially whenever she looked at him in that loving way of hers or kissed him. In retrospect, it probably was easier that night to feel less guilty about the ordeal since they weren't alone and were instead surrounded by his whole family…and now, they were finally going out on a date together, the first in a long week, with the girl he cheated with. The wave of guilt was coming back with a vengeance.

Pushing away the thought – at least for the moment – he leaned back in their embrace, arms still grasping her, to look her in the eye and take in her appearance once again.

"You look beautiful," Brandon murmured sincerely. He leaned over, kissing her on the lips softly. He resisted the urge to wince at his own self-hatred…he was honestly disgusted with himself.

"Thanks. You look quite nice yourself," Abby winked, reaching over with a hand to close the door behind him. She rested her hands against his chest, hazel eyes gazing into his blues. "You know…I was kinda worried that you would change your mind about this. You're a bit more late than expected."

Shaking his head, Brandon denied it. "No, no, I want to do this…just got side-tracked at home with the piano. I was practicing the overture for our musical."

As if he could make things any more worse than they already are, he hated to continue lying to her…it seemed like all he was able to do now. But openly saying that he laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling as he screened her calls in hopes of the night to somehow cancel itself, was definitely not something to be said. Not when her eyes were so cheerful and with the hope dripping from her voice.

He gave her waist a squeeze, brushing a kiss on the tip of her nose and pressing his forehead against hers. "So don't worry about it, okay?"

Abby nodded, her smile returning. "Okay then, I trust you," she whispered teasingly, capturing his lips into another kiss. "Now, let me just get my purse and we can go."

He released her from his grasp and she hurried back up the winding stairs to her room, his smile fading into a grimace at her comment.

_You trust me…and you have no idea how much I don't deserve any of it. _

** …**

"Someone's clearly nervous."

Hunter pouted, crossing his arms. "And why do you say that?" He reached over for his glass of water, taking a sip.

Callie smirked, mirroring his actions by sipping from her own glass of tea. "You're fidgeting. Plus, you keep checking your phone to see the time."

"Well, they are kind of late." He gave her a shrug, whilst tapping his fingers against the table's surface. "And fine…I can't deny that I've been a bit restless, so I'll give you that."

She linked her arm through his, giving it a squeeze.

"Relax. They will be here…they won't ditch us."

Hunter shook his head, his blonde hair tossing aside to reveal the concern in his green eyes. "You know that's not what I'm worried about. Your brother hates me, so I'm kinda more worried about whether or not he will sock me across the face if I piss him off somehow."

Callie couldn't help but smile despite the genuine worry in his tone. Once again, his effortless humor never ceased to amuse her. "He doesn't hate you," she protested, the little white lie slightly obvious in her tone.

"Really?" he raised an eyebrow, clearly in disbelief. "Doesn't seem like it."

"Then why did you agree to this double date if you think so?"

"Well…I didn't think he would actually agree to it," he admitted, sighing. "I just said yes since Abby was so excited about it." He nudged her. "And why do you seem so calm? I would think that you would be at least a little nervous."

She looked away, leaning back in her seat. "I don't know. I guess I don't really have a reason to be nervous…it's just a dinner."

Now that sure was a big lie.

Underneath her calm exterior, she was quivering inside. A secret jumble of nerves, she fought the urge to stand up and storm out of the restaurant, leaving behind the possibility of what could go awry on this night.

"Ah, finally," her date quietly sighed.

Callie looked up, watching the other couple approach their table. As always, Abby looked well put-together, lovely in her lavender dress, as she was graceful in step. And Brandon, striking in the navy cardigan Stef bought him for Christmas last year, stepped alongside her, hand entwined with hers as a grimace tugged on his lips upon nearing.

Forcing a smile, Callie acknowledged them as they took their seats.

"Hey," Abby cheerily greeted. "Sorry for being late. Brandon got a little distracted."

Her date remained silent, only meeting Callie's gaze briefly before flitting his stare over to Hunter, the blue in his eyes turning icy as his lips tightened into a firm line.

_And here we go…_

** …**

With the décor of paintings of the French countryside and dim lighting from hanging vintage chandeliers, the romantic ambience of the restaurant exuded coziness and warmth. Plush booths and nearby tables lit by candlelight added to the amorous air, as the tuning of violins and playing of a grand piano harmonized together by a nearby quartet.

"I'm so glad we agreed to come here," Abby beamed. She handed over her menu to their server, nodding in thanks before continuing on. "I've been wanting to try this place out. I've read really great reviews, especially on their crème brûlée. Cathy even mentioned trying it, saying that it's one of the best."

Her eyes skimmed the fancy bistro excitedly, the flames of the candlelight dancing upon her features.

"I always pass by here when I'm driving back home," Hunter added to the conversation. "I've been wanting to check out this place for a while."

Callie nodded in silence, sipping her tea before setting it down. "Yeah. This place is pretty nice."

Silence lingered, as they waited for the fourth attendee's input, but to no avail. He continued to gaze absently into space, seemingly absorbed with the tablecloth.

"Um, Brandon…what do you think of the place?" Hunter asked, attempting to sound casual but the apprehension was far too evident to mask.

The other man shrugged, refusing to acknowledge the green-eyed blonde's existence, as his eyes browsed around. "It's nice." The only two words spoken ever since he and Abby joined the other couple at the table.

His date grimaced slightly, stirring her lemonade with trepidation. She sensed the tension exuding from him ever since they stepped into the restaurant, and was confused as to why. After all, didn't he agree to this, to give Hunter a chance to get to know him more? Now he seemed to close himself off, not even attempting to mask his aversion, as he placed a distance no different than before.

Abby nudged him underneath the table, upon which he sighed and straightened himself in his seat.

"I like the…" Brandon trailed off, unsure of where he was taking this. "Tablecloth," he finished, the stupidity in the sentence's end causing him to inwardly cringe. _Seriously?_

"Tablecloth?" Callie smirked. " Well, I guess it's pretty obvious, with the way you're staring so intensely at it."

He didn't respond, his expression hardening. Hearing her voice only antagonized him, and he knew better than to snarl in response.

She noticed this, huffing to herself as she crossed her arms and she leaned back in her seat. There was no use in even trying to lighten the mood…it was impossible to get through to him.

"So, how's the musical coming along?" Hunter asked, attempting to change the subject and to draw more than a one or two word response from him this time around. "I heard the score is incredible, given how you worked at it for hours in the studio."

Brandon sighed. _You might as well try to act civil…you're going to be here for a while. No other way around this. Plus, you have to give him credit for still trying. _

"Yeah…it's going great. I don't think it would have gone as well without Abby's help, though. Her input really influenced where we took the score."

He gave a strained smile. _There. Now that's an improvement. _

It wasn't like he didn't mean any of those words – hell, he truly felt that without his girlfriend's guidance in the score, the prospect of the musical's success would be lacking – but it just took extra energy to summon the strength to express the statement to someone he would otherwise avoid.

Clearly appreciative of the effort and blushing from the compliment, Abby giggled. "Oh, you. That's sweet, but you seriously never give yourself enough credit." She touched his arm. "Always working hard. No wonder the other composers trusted you to take the lead on this."

_Trust._ Brandon secretly flinched for the second time that night. Ever since his thoughtless actions, he began to take great notice every time that one word was mentioned, whether it was in casual conversation or directly used. Such a simple word, yet it triggered a range of emotions within him…how undeserving he was of any trust given by Abby. The self-hatred from earlier resurfaced, and he cleared his throat.

He needed some air…or a trip to the restroom. Something, anything, as long as he got out of there, because he could feel the heat rising in the room and the walls closing in as he struggled to breathe.

"Excuse me," he folded the napkin in his lap and carefully slid out of the table, placing it on his seat. "I'll be right back."

All three of them shared similar expressions of slight bewilderment, but only nodded in unison as he briskly walked away.

Once clear from his presence, Abby turned to the pair sitting opposite from her and sighed. "I'm so sorry, you guys. I know that he's off…I'm not exactly sure why, but just don't take it personally."

Hunter shrugged. "It's fine. Honestly, I would be more concerned if he wasn't so awkward about this."

Callie stared after him as he ducked into a winding hallway that led to the restroom. She knew all too well what he was feeling, understanding where he was coming from despite her slight irritation.

"Yeah," she stared at the empty seat. "I guess so."

** …**

Vigorously splashing cold water against his face, Brandon tried to erase the images of those deep brown eyes that he sat across from a moment before. How warm those chocolate orbs were, reflecting gentleness despite the biting sarcasm whenever she spoke and- _no._

He gave himself another splash of icy water, roughly running his hands through his face.

Bracing himself against the marble sink, he stared at his reflection with disdain. He watched as the water dripped down his skin and trailed to his neck, soaking the collar of his button-up shirt.

"What the fuck are you doing, man?" Brandon hissed at his echo. The blue in his eyes were fierce, as he stared bleakly at the image.

He was pathetic, and he knew that. How terrible of a person he was, fixating on his ex when his girlfriend was sitting next to him. As much as he tried not to, it seemed as if his subconscious vied for his attention, clouding his thoughts and dragging himself back to Callie despite him knowing that he shouldn't…and all she did was sit there in silence, watching him with that stare that gave him chills.

_Incredible. She doesn't even have to do or really say anything and she has me thinking about her like this. _

Brandon scoffed at himself. He needed to get a grip.

She was driving him crazy, even when she really wasn't trying.

Reaching over for a white face towel on a nearby shelf, he buried his face into its downy fleece. Rubbing off the droplets from his neck, he shook his head. "Stop it," he sighed. "This is so wrong. You shouldn't even be thinking about her like this anymore."

His thoughts ought to be wrapped around Abby, his girlfriend. Not the ex he was trying to get over, who was also attempting to move on, too.

Time and time again, they have been through this, claiming the need to move on yet always getting pulled back to each other sooner than they called it quits. They were running in circles, undergoing this vicious cycle that was running on a loop ever since he came back, every goodbye becoming more and more painful than the last.

But it had to stop. And Callie was the one who realized that, putting her foot down as she knew that it was for the best.

Problem was, he just couldn't take it. His need for her was overwhelming, pushing him to the brink of falling apart.

"Get yourself together," he breathed. "This needs to end."

Chucking the towel into a nearby basket, he gave himself another weary look before pushing the aside the swinging bathroom door.

However, as he hastily turned to exit the hallway, Brandon abruptly collided into another person, knocking them both over onto the ground.

"Whoa, I'm so sorry, man!" he quickly apologized, standing up as he brushed the back of his pants. He reached out a hand to the other man crumpled on the ground, who grumbled an incoherent response. Taking ahold of the offered help, he stood up.

However, Brandon's breath caught in his throat, as he stared at the guy he just knocked over.

"It's fine," he muttered gruffly.

But when his eyes locked with his, similar recognition flashed through him, his expression shifting to a smirk.

"Liam," Brandon growled.

He could already feel his blood to begin the boil, his body tensing with anger.

It had been years since he saw Liam, who looked significantly older than what he remembered, and not a single ounce of his anger for what he had done to Callie dissipated among those many days. After the injustice from the trial, his hatred for the offender only fueled higher, as he fought the intense urge to track him down and attain the justice that Callie truly deserved. But she held him back, reassuring him that standing by the truth and voicing out what happened was all that she needed, even when he knew she deserved so much more.

And here the culprit stood, the smirk on his face ruthless, as the coldness in his eyes darkened.

"Brandon, right?" Liam sneered. "How's Callie?"

Immediately freezing at the comment, Brandon clenched his fists. "Don't you dare say her name!" he snarled.

Liam mockingly raised his hands up as if in surrender, the leer on his face clearly contemptuous. "Hey, just wondering," he chuckled. "Tell her I said hello. Is she at home?"

The burst of fury in Brandon's eyes and refusal to reply answered his question, as he grinned. "Ah, she's here, isn't she?"

Brandon took a step closer, taking every ounce of willpower he had to restrain himself from attacking him. "Stay the fuck away from her," he hissed. "You were this close to getting that restraining order placed, but you're lucky that she chose to let it pass." His voice lowered. "If it was my choice, I would have fucking push it through and make sure you're under constant surveillance to keep your sorry ass away from her."

Liam opened his mouth to respond with another scoff, but Brandon turned and walked away before he could let him.

He was walking along dangerous territory, and hearing another word from that asshole's mouth would have pushed him over the edge. Without a doubt, he would have done something stupid if he didn't choose to walk away that moment, as that thin line of self-control was severely lessening.

Brooding in his state of boiling resentment, he returned to the table sooner than he expected, far too angry to even bother hiding his emotions. He briskly slid back to his seat, avoiding any eye contact with such obvious tension that everyone froze to stare.

Nobody said anything for a long moment, as each struggled to form a proper response.

"Hey," Abby whispered gently. "What's wrong?"

Brandon didn't respond, but only looked up to stare at Callie, whose warm brown eyes that he previously fixated on, were now alarmed with agitation. "I need to talk to you," he muttered. "Alone."

The emphasis of the last word left a strange apprehension hanging in the air, as the expression on Abby's face dropped grimly, pained that her attempt to support him was rejected.

Callie's eyes widened and she nodded, standing up and leaving the table with Brandon to walk away a safe distance out of earshot.

"Brandon, what happened?" she questioned, all feelings of nervousness from earlier gone and now replaced with obvious worry.

Clearly, he also abandoned his previous stubbornness and tension, as he restlessly raked a hand through his hair.

Out of all the possibilities of how disastrous this night could transpire, he was not expecting _this_.

"We need to get out of here," Brandon whispered.

Puzzled, Callie raised an eyebrow. "Wait- _what? _We haven't even gotten our orders yet!"

Nevertheless, the urgency in his expression didn't dissolve a single degree, and her confusion increased, as panic began to set in. "What the hell happened?" she asked, unable to mask the fear in her voice.

But before Brandon could respond, a voice that she hoped to never hear again, a terrible voice that haunted her in her worst nightmares and to this very day, coldly interrupted him.

"Hey, Callie. Long time no see."

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**Yikes, I hope you guys don't punch me for ending the chapter on that note *cringes* Please leave a review and tell me what you think! **


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